← the board · drewhoover.com · 2024–2026
Northwestern's best defenders since 2024
Josh Fussell leads with 81 tackles in 23 games at Northwestern; Damon Walters had 74.
Every defender with 5 or more games at Northwestern since 2024, ranked by tackles; the lines are each player's tackles game by game, the top 8 drawn. A link opens the player's page, where he has one, or his row on the board.
67 defenders with 5+ games at Northwesterntackles
| # | player | seasons | games | tackles | sacks | tackles for loss | interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh Fussell | 2024–2026 | 23 | 81 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Damon Walters | 2024–2026 | 14 | 74 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | Kobie McKinzie | 2026 | 6 | 43 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Jon Jon Stevens Jr. | 2025–2026 | 13 | 40 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Fred Davis II | 2025 | 11 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Montae Pate | 2026 | 5 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Tyler Gant | 2024–2026 | 14 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Dillon Tatum | 2025 | 8 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Alijah Jones | 2025–2026 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Payton Roth | 2025–2026 | 10 | 13 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Jack Sadowsky V | 2025–2026 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | Jamaal Johnson | 2026 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Caden O'Rourke | 2025–2026 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | Callen Campbell | 2025–2026 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Mason Mayne | 2025–2026 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | Dominic Kirks | 2026 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Matthew Smith | 2026 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Garrett Dickerson | 2014–2017 | 36 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 19 | Michael Kilbane | 2023–2026 | 33 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 20 | Braden Turner | 2023–2026 | 32 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 21 | Robert Fitzgerald | 2023–2026 | 32 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 22 | Mac Uihlein | 2023–2025 | 30 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 23 | Braydon Brus | 2023–2026 | 29 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 24 | Aidan Hubbard | 2023–2025 | 28 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 25 | Najee Story | 2023–2025 | 28 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 26 | Coco Azema | 2019–2024 | 25 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 27 | Brendan Flakes | 2023–2026 | 24 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 28 | Anto Saka | 2023–2025 | 23 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 29 | Carmine Bastone | 2023–2025 | 23 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 30 | Xander Mueller | 2021–2024 | 23 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 31 | Ore Adeyi | 2023–2026 | 21 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 32 | Kenny Soares Jr. | 2023–2024 | 20 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 33 | Devin Turner | 2023–2024 | 19 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 34 | Garner Wallace | 2023–2025 | 18 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 35 | Theran Johnson | 2023–2024 | 18 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 36 | Evan Smith | 2023–2025 | 17 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 37 | R.J. Pearson | 2023–2024 | 17 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 38 | Sean McLaughlin | 2021–2024 | 17 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 39 | Jaylen Pate | 2023–2024 | 15 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 40 | Matthew Harris | 2013–2015 | 15 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 41 | Richie Hagarty | 2023–2025 | 14 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 42 | Montre Hartage | 2016–2018 | 12 | — | — | — | 10 |
| 43 | Greyson Metz | 2022–2024 | 11 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 44 | Ibraheim Campbell | 2011–2014 | 11 | — | — | — | 11 |
| 45 | Rod Heard II | 2021–2023 | 11 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 46 | Brandon Joseph | 2020–2021 | 10 | — | — | — | 9 |
| 47 | Bryce Gallagher | 2022–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 48 | Garnett Hollis Jr. | 2022–2023 | 10 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 49 | Blake Gallagher | 2017–2020 | 9 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 50 | Kyle Queiro | 2015–2017 | 9 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 51 | Dylan Roberts | 2023–2026 | 8 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 52 | Godwin Igwebuike | 2014–2017 | 8 | — | — | — | 7 |
| 53 | JR Pace | 2017–2020 | 8 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 54 | Nick VanHoose | 2012–2015 | 8 | — | — | — | 8 |
| 55 | Paddy Fisher | 2017–2020 | 8 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 56 | Jared McGee | 2016–2018 | 7 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 57 | Jayme Taylor | 2014 | 7 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 58 | Trae Williams | 2016–2018 | 7 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 59 | A.J. Hampton Jr. | 2019–2022 | 6 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 60 | Anthony Walker Jr. | 2014–2016 | 6 | — | — | — | 4 |
| 61 | Chi Chi Ariguzo | 2012–2013 | 6 | — | — | — | 6 |
| 62 | Chris Bergin | 2018–2021 | 6 | — | — | — | 2 |
| 63 | Jaheem Joseph | 2023 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 |
| 64 | Nate Hall | 2016–2018 | 6 | — | — | — | 5 |
| 65 | Joe DeHaan | 2023–2024 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 |
| 66 | Joe Gaziano | 2016–2019 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
| 67 | P.J. Spencer | 2023 | 5 | — | — | — | 0 |
Also at Northwestern: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers, punters. Every school and conference: schools, conferences. The games are ESPN's box scores since 2004 (the Method says where they fall short); a position is the roster's, else read off the box score, so a tight end from before 2014 may be listed with the wide receivers.