Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 13-41@ Notre Dame | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 36-9vs Western Illinois | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 6 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 |
#15
Sebastian Cheeks
Senior linebacker for Wisconsin. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 243 lb · Skokie, IL · Evanston Township
CFB Index 47 · #318 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Wisconsin for 2026
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.
The numbers
6
tackles · 2026
1 TFL · 1 sacks · 1 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sacks, vs Notre Dame
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 linebacker for Wisconsin. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 4-star recruit to North Carolina in 2022.
- Transferred from North Carolina to Wisconsin in 2024.
Sebastian Cheeks
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. Sebastian Cheeks has played for two head coaches across five seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 4 tackles against Western Illinois, Week 2, 2026.
6 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
2022
- Signed with North Carolina4-star out of Evanston Township
20246 games
The role got bigger.
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★★
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
2 coaches2022
Jim Leonhard
Wisconsin
Coaching transition mid-career: Jim Leonhard → Luke Fickell. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2022North Carolina9-5HC: Mack Brown · Balanced
2023North Carolina8-5HC: Mack Brown · Balanced
2024Wisconsin5-7HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning
2025Wisconsin4-8HC: Luke Fickell · Run-heavy, slow tempo
2026Wisconsin1-1HC: Luke Fickell · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidenceAscending
Elite: qb hurries (96th percentile). Strength: sacks (87th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.0 TKL/g, 0.5 TFL/g, 0.5 SACK/g, 0.5 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Luke Fickell
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
47 · #318 of 583 LBs
Former four-star. Now #318 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #41 of 72 Big Ten LBs
How the All-Big Ten estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Wisconsin | 6 | 5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Wisconsin | 24 | 17 | 5.5 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Wisconsin | 12 | 5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | North Carolina | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | North Carolina | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 46 | 28 | 8.5 | 6.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 36–9
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Wisconsin
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Wisconsin
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: +8 net (33 in / 25 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Wisconsin · Last season: 4-8 · Talent rank #30 · 2026 recruiting class #78
DNA match
Player DNA
Sideline-to-Sideline
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kevin Swint’s 2023 season.
Matches Kevin on
TFL rate
Tackle volume
Class year
Differs from Kevin on
Weight (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Jahzon Jacks's senior season at Fresno State (2025).
68%match
Matches Jahzon on
Sack rate
Tackle volume
Height
Differs from Jahzon on
Solo tackle rate (higher)
Weight (lower)
Background
2025 Season (Redshirt Junior): Played in all 12 games, making three starts at outside linebacker … made 25 tackles, 5.5 TFLs and three sacks, all career highs … made career-high four tackles against Miami (OH) (Aug. 28) … posted three tackles, including a sack, against MTSU (Sept. 6) … made three...
The linebacker corps · Wisconsin
- #8Mason Posa57 tackles · 2025
- #44Cooper Catalano56 tackles · 2025
- Justus Boone28 tackles · 2025
- #15Sebastian Cheeks24 tackles · 2025
- #28Jon Jon Kamara13 tackles · 2025
17 more on the roster · Wisconsin team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology