Matthew Scarlett, Northern Illinois DT: the 2026 season story
Matthew Scarlett is a junior defensive lineman for Northern Illinois (Mountain West). He ranks 1100th of 1,709 defensive linemen in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every defensive lineman on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Knowing the one or two things a player does best, and where he is ordinary, says more than any single total. Matthew Scarlett's strongest measure is sacks per game at 0.15, 440th of 892 (the average is 0.19). His weakest is passes defended per game at 0.00, 372nd of 892 (the average is 0.08).
Season production
Why it matters. Totals reward staying healthy and getting the ball; per-game numbers show how much he really carries each week. His tackles per game, 1.9, ranks 682nd among 892 ranked defensive linemen.
Against every defensive lineman
Why it matters. Splitting the measures into how much, how well and how many big plays shows what kind of defensive lineman he is. Among ranked defensive linemen he sits, on average, in the 24th percentile for volume and 28th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. A season average can hide a player who is great one week and absent the next; game by game shows how dependable he is. Over 5 games, Matthew Scarlett's best came in week 10 at San José State and his quietest in week 3 at Arizona.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. Where and how a player makes his plays shows how his team uses him and what a defense has to take away.
National and conference
Why it matters. A national rank shows how a player stacks up beyond his own league, where the competition can be very different. Matthew Scarlett is 647th of 892 FBS defensive linemen and 42nd of 58 in the Mountain West. Next up nationally is Kody Harris-Miller of Army, 0.00 ahead on the index.
Defensive linemen like him
Why it matters. Comparing a player with his closest statistical matches puts his season in context beyond the rankings. His closest match this season is Dezmond Barnes of Coastal Carolina.
