Vanderbilt’s defenses under Clark Lea have done some creative things with their defensive line players. They mix and match a lot for different packages to try to leverage player strengths against situations. They have often listed the depth chart as 1 DE, 2 DTs (sometimes 1 DT and 1 NT), and 1 Razor/Star, which is the combo or flex spot between a true DE and a lineback.
This year the roster looks a little more normal. There has not been a depth chart posted yet, but the positions on defense are CB,
DL, DT, EDGE, LB, and S. That means the Star (hybrid safety and linebacker last season) and Razor (hybrid linebacker and defensive end) are gone from last season. It does preserve some of the flexibility Clark Lea likes to show between 2-, 3-, and 4-down fronts on the defensive line.
For the sake of the position previews, we are going to focus on the players listed as DL or DT separately from the EDGE players simply because there are a lot of them. Physically and positionally, this looks like a team that is going to be more of a true 4-2-5 instead of the hybrid 3/4-2/3/4-4/5 defense where the lines get all all blurry with the Razor/Star and Star/Anchor positions. The flexibility still exists to go into 3-down packages, whether 3-3-5 or 3-4, or even a recall to the Derek Mason 5-2. The depth is, theoretically, better and more diverse than it has ever been at both DL and EDGE.
The Incumbent Starters and an Impact Sub
Issa Ouattara is a player who has been lauded for his freakish physique and athleticism since reaching campus. The 5th year player from Cologne, Germany is 6’7” and 315 pounds. He played in 10 games a freshman then played in just 9, but now with 6 starts, as a sophomore. This was the first time the injury bug reared its ugly head for Issa. His Junior campaign in 2024 was bounceback with 10 starts and 13 total games played. The stats have never been eye-opening, but the impact is felt when Ouattara is at full bore and requiring double teams while eating up any interior runs. His 31 tackles (11 solo) in 2024 were a good number for a man at his position, as were his 2 sacks. Granted, 1.5 of the sacks came in the Birmingham Bowl. Then he only played in the Virginia Tech game in 2025 after injuries again sidelined him. If Ouattara is healthy and full-bore in 2026, Vanderbilt’s defensive will instantly take a step forward.
One beneficiary of Ouattara missing time in 2025 was now-junior Glenn Seabrooks III. The 6’3” and 340 pound boulder will also massively benefit from Ouattara’s return in 2026. Those two monstrous humans will easily eat up both guards, the center, and a chipping RB for every opponent Vanderbilt faces. Seabrooks played in all 13 games in 2024 as a freshman and had 28 tackles (15 solo) with 1 forced fumble and 1 interception. That interception occurred on the first defensive drive of the season and set Vanderbilt up to take a 10-0 lead against Virginia Tech in a pivotal game to start the season. His 2025 was a little less impressive at 19 tackles (9 solo) and no turnovers forced but having Ouattara back should help Seabrooks get slightly less attention. He very well could run rampant if focus shifts too much.
The only other returning interior defensive lineman besides Seabrooks who had double digit tackles in 2025 is senior Jaylon Stone. Stone had spent 2023 and 2024 at Southeast Missouri State where he played 13 total games and had a single start. He had 32 total tackles (5 TFLs) and 2 sacks In 2024. Stone was a pleasant surprise last season when he kept up the production with the competition level jump. His 23 tackles (7 solo and 2 TFLs) were even more than Seabrooks, so he is a very solid option behind the two starters.
Two Returning Reserve Options and Two Transfers
After these top three options, the depth is solid but quickly drops off in quality. This quartet of backups can certainly log snaps, but none of them are too likely to make consistent impacts. They could certainly make a big play or two, moreso as a function of being on the field in a big moment by happenstance than a “go make a play” situation.
Bradley Mann is in his 5th year on campus after redshirting in 2022. He has 32 tackles in 37 games played (1 start that came in 2025) as a Commodore. 5.5 of those tackles were TFLs with 1 being a sack. Mann is a big man at 6’6” and 308 pounds who is best at eating up blocks, but he can be useful as a pass rush nose tackle where he has enough athleticism to be troublesome on 3-man front stunts.
2025 was Aaron Bryant’s first season at Vanderbilt after 3 (redshirt in 2022) at Texas. He is even more mass in a smaller frame to clog up the offense at 6’2” and 320 pounds. Bryant did appear in 11 games last season, nearly doubling his Texas career total of 13. The production did not follow though with only 3 tackles, 1 of which was a TFL. His effectiveness does show up a bit more on tape as I remember a handful of instances where a LB or S made a big play after Bryant had absorbed a double team without giving ground.
A Commodore making a literal and figurative step up in weight class is Talan Carter. The former Jacksonville State Gamecock started all 12 games in 2025 and had 7 starts (11 total appearances) in 2024 as a freshman. He was productive as a freshman then built on that as a sophomore. He had 26 tackles (12 solo and 1 sack) along with a forced fumble as a first year. The tackle total jumped to 57 (28 solo and 1.5 sacks) in year two. He could be a player that makes a bit more impact than the casual fan expects. Or he could be overwhelmed by the move from C-USA to the SEC.
The only player designated as a DT that I think has any chance at a noticeable role is Mike Diatta. He redshirted in 2021 at Virginia then played 9, 12, and 11 games for Cavaliers before going to Oklahoma State for 10 games of action in 2025. Frankly, I have no idea how he is still eligible. He has 64 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. His career high in tackles was 29 for UVA in 2024. Still, as a 4th through 7th option for the interior DL, it is nice to have a somewhat experienced and occasionally productive FBS transfer.
Deep Bench Options
Hayden Bray spent 3 years at Oklahoma (2021-23 with only 1 appearance, likely one regular redshirt then a medical) then did not appear in year 1 at Vanderbilt before playing in 6 games last season. Expecting him to suddenly break through is … hopeful. Again, this far down the depth chart, he is at least a strong practice body among the 2s or 3s to give some resistance to the starters.
Simeon Boulware was a recruit with plenty of expectations. The 247Sports Composite had him as the 116th DL in the 2024 class, but their internal rankings had him all the way up to 57. He is yet to see the field in his first two years on campus. There is not much more to say there.
Nikhil Jefferson was a lower rated 3* in the 2024 class with Boulware. He literally has no mention of the 2024 season on his Vanderbilt bio and did not see the field in 2025. He is another compact pack of mass at 6’1” and 330 pounds, so he may be called upon for goal line situations just as an immovable object.
Freshmen and Walk-Ons
The other 3 players listed as DTs other than Diatta will almost certainly not be seeing the field. Sophomore Jiaming Cao transferred in from NCAA D-III University of Rochester (Ironically, Vanderbilt says Rochester University on his player profile. They should know better since so many erroneously say “University of Vanderbilt.”) where he did not play as a freshman. Freshman Cameron Stepp does not have any recruiting ranking profiles, so he is a complete unknown.
Freshman Daryl Campbell was a higher 3* recruit and ranked as the 87th DL in the 247Sports Composite while the in-house rankings for 247 had him at 75th. He may contribute down the line, but I doubt he plays any role in 2026.
Final Verdict
I really like Ouattara, Seabrooks, and Stone as the starters with a rotation piece. Mann, Bryant, Carter, and Diatta should provide solid depth in the sense that the defense should not fall apart because of them when they are on the field. It is even possible that one of the, more likely to be one of Carter and Diatta, carves out enough of a role to make a positive difference this season. Beyond that, it is simply nice to have enough bodies to spread out practice reps at such a grueling position.
