2026 National Leaders Tackles - Games vs. Ranked Teams Only (AP Poll) through 10/20/2026

Name Team Yr Pos G Solo Assisted Total Total/G
1 Elijah Melendez Auburn SO LB 3 22 7 29 9.67
2 Randon Fontenette Colorado SR DB 3 20 15 35 11.67
3 Sullivan Schlimgen Iowa State SO LB 3 19 12 31 10.33
4 Sharif Denson Miss SR S 3 18 5 23 7.67
5 Koi Perich Oregon JR DB 3 17 12 29 9.67
5 Naeten Mitchell Colorado SR DB 3 17 12 29 9.67
7 Gideon ESPN Lampron Colorado SR LB 3 16 18 34 11.33
7 Rasheem Biles Texas SR LB 3 16 12 28 9.33
9 Caleb Woodson Alabama SR LB 3 15 17 32 10.67
9 John Slaughter Purdue SR DB 3 15 10 25 8.33
11 Nicholas Rodriguez Missouri JR LB 2 14 11 25 12.50
11 Justin Okoronkwo S Carolina SR LB 3 14 10 24 8.00
11 TJ Banks Louisville JR DB 3 14 6 20 6.67
14 Chris Jones FSU JR LB 3 13 11 24 8.00
14 Luke Metz Alabama SO LB 3 13 9 22 7.33
14 Ja’Bril Rawls FSU SR DB 3 13 8 21 7.00
14 Colin Simmons Texas JR EDG 3 13 6 19 6.33
14 Tah'j Butler Miss JR LB 3 13 6 19 6.33
14 Peyton Williams S Carolina SR DB 3 13 6 19 6.33
14 Eric Winters Auburn SO S 3 13 5 18 6.00
14 TJ Dottery LSU SR LB 2 13 4 17 8.50
14 Devin Sanchez Ohio State SO CB 3 13 4 17 5.67
23 T.J. Capers Louisville SR LB 3 12 12 24 8.00
23 Mason Posa Wisconsin SO LB 2 12 10 22 11.00
23 Ben Bogle Arkansas SR LB 3 12 9 21 7.00
23 Xavier Atkins Auburn JR LB 2 12 8 20 10.00
23 Khmori House Arkansas JR DB 3 12 6 18 6.00
23 Kade Phillips Texas SO DB 3 12 4 16 5.33
23 Jessiah McGrew Ariz St SO DB 1 12 2 14 14.00
23 Collin Jacob La-Lafytte SR S 1 12 1 13 13.00
31 Sam Mattingly Stanford JR LB 3 11 12 23 7.67
31 Tyler Lockhart Miss St SO LB 3 11 10 21 7.00
31 Jay Green Stanford SR S 3 11 9 20 6.67
31 Teitum Tuioti Oregon SR OLB 3 11 8 19 6.33
31 Ma'Khi Jones FSU SO DB 3 11 8 19 6.33
31 Jashawn Nelson N Illinois FR LB 2 11 6 17 8.50
31 Kendall Daniels, Jr. S Carolina SO DB 3 11 2 13 4.33
38 Liona Lefau Colorado SR LB 3 10 15 25 8.33
38 Fred "JayR" Johnson S Carolina JR LB 3 10 14 24 8.00
38 Earl Little Jr. Ohio State SR SAF 3 10 12 22 7.33
38 Payton Pierce Ohio State JR LB 3 10 12 22 7.33
38 Brevin Hamblin Utah State SR S 2 10 10 20 10.00
38 Don Saunders Purdue SR DB 3 10 10 20 6.67
38 Luke Ferrelli Miss JR LB 3 10 10 20 6.67
38 Jett Jefferson Miss St JR CB 3 10 8 18 6.00
38 Charlie Eckhardt Stanford JR S 3 10 7 17 5.67
38 Santana Banner Missouri SR S 2 10 6 16 8.00
38 Cade Uluave BYU SR LB 2 10 5 15 7.50
38 Joker Johnson Arkansas SR DB 3 10 5 15 5.00
38 Peyton Bowen Oklahoma SR DB 3 10 5 15 5.00
38 Jaylen Wester Western Ky SR LB 2 10 3 13 6.50
38 CJ Heard Vanderbilt JR S 2 10 3 13 6.50
38 Bryce Deas Auburn SO LB 3 10 3 13 4.33
38 Cormani McClain Florida SR CB 3 10 3 13 4.33
55 Justin Cryer Texas SR LB 3 9 20 29 9.67
55 Tony Rojas Penn State JR LB 2 9 13 22 11.00
55 K'vion Thunderbird Fresno St JR LB 2 9 13 22 11.00
55 Asher Cunningham Utah State JR ILB 2 9 11 20 10.00
55 Chapman Lewis Utah State JR S 2 9 11 20 10.00
55 Trey Lathan Kansas SR LB 2 9 11 20 10.00
55 CJ Richard Jr. FSU JR DB 3 9 11 20 6.67
55 Myles Graham Florida JR ILB 3 9 11 20 6.67
55 Jaylen Lewis Western Ky SR DB 2 9 9 18 9.00
55 Grant Godfrey Kentucky SR ILB 2 9 8 17 8.50
55 Dalton Brooks Texas A&M SR S 3 9 8 17 5.67
55 Carson Willich Iowa State SR LB 3 9 7 16 5.33
55 Boo Carter Colorado JR DB 3 9 7 16 5.33
55 Kaleb Harris Auburn JR S 3 9 7 16 5.33
55 Jardin Gilbert Miss St SR S 3 9 7 16 5.33
55 Corey Gordon Kansas SR S 2 9 6 15 7.50
55 Santana Hopper Colorado SR DL 3 9 6 15 5.00
55 Kelley Jones Miss St SR CB 3 9 6 15 5.00
55 Isaiah Glasker BYU SR LB 2 9 5 14 7.00
55 Clev Lubin Louisville SR DL 3 9 5 14 4.67
55 Jordan Hall Mich St SR LB 1 9 4 13 13.00
55 Jay Timmons Ohio State FR CB 2 9 4 13 6.50
55 Blake Thompson Oregon St FR DB 2 9 3 12 6.00
55 Kingston Lopa California SO DB 2 9 1 10 5.00
55 DJ Pickett LSU SO CB 2 9 1 10 5.00
55 Rahshawn Clark Washington JR CB 2 9 1 10 5.00
55 Dylan Robinson Washington SO CB 2 9 1 10 5.00
55 Keon Sabb Alabama SR DB 3 9 1 10 3.33
55 David Coffey Iowa State SO CB 3 9 0 9 3.00
84 Jelani McDonald Texas SR DB 3 8 16 24 8.00
84 Devon Jackson Oregon SR ILB 3 8 15 23 7.67
84 Ja’Quavion Smith Arkansas JR LB 3 8 12 20 6.67
84 Kaleb Beasley Louisville JR DB 3 8 11 19 6.33
84 Corey Myrick Clemson JR S 2 8 10 18 9.00
84 Christian Harrison Arkansas SR DB 3 8 9 17 5.67
84 Kip Lewis Oklahoma SR LB 3 8 9 17 5.67
84 Jerome Carter III Clemson JR S 2 8 8 16 8.00
84 Rolijah Hardy Indiana JR LB 2 8 8 16 8.00
84 Devan Thompkins Alabama SR DL 3 8 8 16 5.33
84 Matt Jung Wisconsin SR S 2 8 7 15 7.50
84 Jordan Castell Kentucky SR DB 2 8 7 15 7.50
84 Bradlee Jones Rutgers SR DB 2 8 6 14 7.00
84 Jermaine Mathews Jr. Ohio State SR CB 3 8 6 14 4.67
84 Antonio Kite Miss SR CB 3 8 6 14 4.67
84 Jordan Shaw Texas A&M SR NI 3 8 6 14 4.67
84 Devin Vaught Mich St JR S 2 8 5 13 6.50