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 | Jessiah McGrew | Ariz St | SO | DB | 1 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 14.00 |
| 1 | Matthew Bailey | Illinois | SR | DB | 1 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14.00 |
| 1 | Justin Powe | Troy | SR | S | 1 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 14.00 |
| 4 | Collin Jacob | La-Lafytte | SR | S | 1 | 12 | 1 | 13 | 13.00 |
| 4 | Derek McDonald | N Carolina | SR | LB | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 13.00 |
| 4 | Robert Fitzgerald | N'western | SR | DB | 1 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 13.00 |
| 4 | Jordan McRae | La Tech | JR | DB | 1 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 13.00 |
| 4 | Jared Lloyd | MO State | SR | LB | 1 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 13.00 |
| 9 | Nicholas Rodriguez | Missouri | JR | LB | 2 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 12.50 |
| 10 | Dylan Smith | Memphis | JR | SAF | 1 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 12.00 |
| 10 | Alonzo Jackson Jr. | La Tech | JR | LB | 1 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 12.00 |
| 10 | Martavis Blackmon | MO State | SR | LB | 1 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12.00 |
| 10 | Jasper Beeler | Cincinnati | SR | S | 1 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12.00 |
| 10 | Popo Aguirre | NC State | SR | ILB | 1 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 12.00 |
| 15 | Randon Fontenette | Colorado | SR | DB | 3 | 20 | 15 | 35 | 11.67 |
| 16 | Gideon ESPN Lampron | Colorado | SR | LB | 3 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 11.33 |
| 17 | Mason Posa | Wisconsin | SO | LB | 2 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Tony Rojas | Penn State | JR | LB | 2 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 11.00 |
| 17 | K'vion Thunderbird | Fresno St | JR | LB | 2 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Christian Ford | MO State | SR | S | 1 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Cole Blaylock | USA | SR | S | 1 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | E.J. Lightsey | Ga Tech | SR | LB | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Brandon Tucker | UTSA | SR | LB | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Zach Lutmer | Iowa | SR | DB | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Jayden Montgomery | Iowa | SR | LB | 1 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Jaden Yates | Houston | SR | LB | 1 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 17 | Donelius Johnson | Akron | SR | LB | 1 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 11.00 |
| 28 | Caleb Woodson | Alabama | SR | LB | 3 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 10.67 |
| 29 | Sullivan Schlimgen | Iowa State | SO | LB | 3 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 10.33 |
| 30 | Brevin Hamblin | Utah State | SR | S | 2 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Asher Cunningham | Utah State | JR | ILB | 2 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Chapman Lewis | Utah State | JR | S | 2 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Trey Lathan | Kansas | SR | LB | 2 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Brenden Jordan | Texas Tech | SR | S | 1 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Logan Bartley | Kansas St | SO | S | 1 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Naseri Danielson | SJSU | JR | LB | 1 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Cooper King | Rice | JR | LB | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Joshua Franklin | W Mich | SR | DB | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Demari Henderson | UCF | SR | DB | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Ben Roberts | Texas Tech | SR | LB | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Alfred Thomas | KSU | JR | LB | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Dallas Young | USA | SR | S | 1 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 30 | Simeon Coleman | Cincinnati | JR | ILB | 1 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 10.00 |
| 44 | Elijah Melendez | Auburn | SO | LB | 3 | 22 | 7 | 29 | 9.67 |
| 44 | Koi Perich | Oregon | JR | DB | 3 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 9.67 |
| 44 | Naeten Mitchell | Colorado | SR | DB | 3 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 9.67 |
| 44 | Justin Cryer | Texas | SR | LB | 3 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 9.67 |
| 48 | Aiden Sullivan | Oregon St | SR | LB | 2 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 9.50 |
| 48 | Dion Crawford | Mich St | SR | LB | 2 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 9.50 |
| 50 | Rasheem Biles | Texas | SR | LB | 3 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 9.33 |
| 51 | Jaylen Lewis | Western Ky | SR | DB | 2 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Corey Myrick | Clemson | JR | S | 2 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Rodney Bimage, Jr. | Ariz St | JR | DB | 1 | 8 | 1 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Jahleel Culbreath | UCF | SR | LB | 1 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Ty Jones | La Tech | SR | DB | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Tywon Christopher | KSU | SO | LB | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Jackquintin Bal | Wash St | JR | S | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Jayden Williams | UCF | SR | DB | 1 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | JJ Dunnigan | Miami (Fl) | FR | DB | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Ethan O'Connor | Miami (Fl) | JR | DB | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Peyton Seelmann | N Carolina | JR | LB | 1 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | J.J. O'Neal | MO State | SR | S | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Jakyri Jones | Ga South | SR | DB | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Raylen Wilson | Georgia | SR | ILB | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Ethan Wesloski | Okla St | SR | LB | 1 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Tre'Shawn Moore | CSU | JR | S | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Kobie McKinzie | N'western | SR | LB | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Aiden Hall | Wk Forest | SR | LB | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Cam Miller | KSU | SR | DB | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | Ziggy Moore | NC State | FR | ILB | 1 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 51 | CJ Coombes | N Texas | SR | S | 1 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 9.00 |
| 72 | Stanquan Clark | Louisville | SR | LB | 3 | 7 | 19 | 26 | 8.67 |
| 73 | TJ Dottery | LSU | SR | LB | 2 | 13 | 4 | 17 | 8.50 |
| 73 | Jashawn Nelson | N Illinois | FR | LB | 2 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 8.50 |
| 73 | Grant Godfrey | Kentucky | SR | ILB | 2 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 8.50 |
| 73 | Daniel Wingate | Maryland | SR | LB | 2 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 8.50 |
| 73 | Sammy Brown | Clemson | JR | LB | 2 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 8.50 |
| 78 | John Slaughter | Purdue | SR | DB | 3 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 8.33 |
| 78 | Liona Lefau | Colorado | SR | LB | 3 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 8.33 |
| 80 | Justin Okoronkwo | S Carolina | SR | LB | 3 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Chris Jones | FSU | JR | LB | 3 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | T.J. Capers | Louisville | SR | LB | 3 | 12 | 12 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Fred "JayR" Johnson | S Carolina | JR | LB | 3 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Jelani McDonald | Texas | SR | DB | 3 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Justin Denson, Jr. | Purdue | SO | DB | 3 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Santana Banner | Missouri | SR | S | 2 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Jerome Carter III | Clemson | JR | S | 2 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Rolijah Hardy | Indiana | JR | LB | 2 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Ty Bryant | Kentucky | SR | DB | 2 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Arion Carter | Tennessee | SR | LB | 2 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Carlton Smith | Maryland | SO | LB | 2 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Alex McLaughlin | Washington | SR | S | 2 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Jelani McLaughlin | SDSU | JR | S | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Caleb Womack | SJSU | SR | CB | 1 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Josh Hunter | SDSU | SR | S | 1 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Malik Esquerra | Texas Tech | JR | S | 1 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Aaron Alexander | N Texas | SR | LB | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Sione Hala | SDSU | SR | LB | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Hudson Hooper | TCU | SR | LB | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8.00 |
| 80 | Leroy Jackson | N Carolina | SO | DL | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8.00 |
Note: To qualify, player must have played in 75% of his team's games.