Mason Kaplan, Illinois State LB: the 2026 season story
Mason Kaplan is a senior linebacker for Illinois State (MVFC). He ranks 470th of 930 linebackers in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every linebacker on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked linebacker, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Mason Kaplan's strongest measure is tackles for loss per game at 0.31, 249th of 459 (the average is 0.40). His weakest is interceptions per game at 0.00, 106th of 459 (the average is 0.03).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His tackles per game, 4.4, ranks 261st among 459 ranked linebackers.
Against every linebacker
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked linebackers he sits, on average, in the 43rd percentile for volume and 22nd for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 10 games, Mason Kaplan's best came in week 7 at Southern Illinois and his quietest in week 4 at Northern Iowa.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every linebacker on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Mason Kaplan is 179th of 471 FCS linebackers and 20th of 35 in the MVFC. Next up nationally is Blake Surratt of Morehead State, 0.01 ahead on the index.
Linebackers like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Keith Bass Jr. of Jackson State.
