Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | L 17-45vs Alabama | 5 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | — | 1 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Total | 5 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.5 | — | 1 |
#94
Tavion Gadson
Senior defensive lineman for Kentucky. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 303 lb · Savannah, GA
CFB Index 27 · #341 of 420 edge rushersLow confidenceReturning to Kentucky 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
1.5
sacks · 2026
2 TFL · 5 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 5 tackles, vs Alabama
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Kentucky. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kentucky in 2023.
Tavion Gadson
Wins his gap play after play. Tavion Gadson has played for two head coaches in three seasons at Kentucky. The receipt: 5 tackles, 2 TFL against Alabama — Week 2, 2026.
5 TACKLES · 1.5 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2023
- Signed with Kentucky3-star out of Jenkins
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kentucky
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Mark Stoops → Will Stein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2023Kentucky7-6HC: Mark Stoops · Balanced, slow tempo
2025Kentucky5-7HC: Mark Stoops · Run-leaning
2026Kentucky1-1HC: Will Stein · Balanced, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Medium confidence
Elite: sacks (95th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (85th 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 1 game: 5.0 TKL/g, 2.0 TFL/g, 1.5 SACK/g, 1.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Will Stein
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Part-time starter
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
27 · #341 of 420 edge rushers
Three-star recruit. Now #341 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #55 of 60 SEC DLs
How the All-SEC 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
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Kentucky
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Kentucky
Returning around him
- 4 Kentucky players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +4 net (31 in / 27 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kentucky · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #23 · 2026 recruiting class #60
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Riley Van Poppel’s 2025 season.
Matches Riley on
Class year
Sack rate
Weight
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Alex January's sophomore season at Texas (2025).
88%match
Matches Alex on
Class year
Hurry rate
TFL rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Tavion Gadson
The defensive line · Kentucky
- #90Mi'Quise Grace7 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Tavion Gadson4 tackles for loss · 2025
- #96Dominic Wiseman3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Tyler Thomas3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #6Ahmad Breaux2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
6 more on the roster · Kentucky team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology