5th-year linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 240 lb · Stockton, CA · Edison
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
How he plays
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait.
Tackles: 92nd percentile.
The full scouting readThe numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 14 tackles · 0.5 TFL -- top 1% tackles game. -- Best game: 14 tackles, 0.5 TFL, at San Diego State
Swing playSwung Boise State from 62% to 83% to win.Boise State at Nevada · 24-3
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
5th-year linebacker for James Madison. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Nakian Jackson
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. Two head coaches in two seasons, at two different programs. One game to point at: 14 tackles, 0.5 TFL against San Diego State — Week 3, 2026.
24 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2025–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Bob Chesney → Billy Napier. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to James Madison
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | James Madison | 24 | 11 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Nevada | 51 | 22 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| Career | 75 | 33 | 0.5 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 20-13vs Liberty | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 87-3vs Wagner | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 26-13@ San Diego State | 14 | 6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 14 tackles |
| Total | 24 | 11 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 87–3
vs Wagner
Since week 2: +14 tackles, +0.5 tackles for loss.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: tackles (92nd percentile). Strength: solo tackles (84th percentile). Concern: passes defended (28th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Defender profile · Production by role
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Tackle volume
24tackles this seasonTFL rate
2%0 TFLSack rate
0%0 sacksPD rate
0%0 pass breakups24 tackles · 0 for loss.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home2g | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 14.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 8.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Billy Napier
Pass share
39.6%
72 pass / 110 run
Plays / game
60.7
3 games
Team sack rate
5.0%
80 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 3,071 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Sun Belt as a 5th-year.
Player DNA
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
His 2026 production profile sits closest to Rick Gamboa’s 2018 season.
Matches Rick on
Differs from Rick on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Austin Hill's junior season at Army (2023).
Matches Austin on
Player DNA
2025 at Nevada: Played in 11 games with six starts at linebacker Had 54 tackles (24 solo) to go with one interception (pick-six) Fourth-leading tackler for Wolfpack Career-high 14 tackles vs. Boise State (Oct. 24) Tallied 12 tackles at Utah State (Nov. 8) Made six stops with a 66-yard pick-six…
3 more on the roster · James Madison team page