Vanderbilt Football Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 18 – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football is in a new era under head coach Clark Lea as it moves forward after a program-best 10-3 season, but does so while replacing star quarterback Diego Pavia and star tight end Eli Stowers.
Lea and company believe that the program can move forward as winners, though, and the amount of experience they bring back is at the forefront of the reasons why. 
Lea has the 34th most experienced offense in the country, the No. 4 defense in the country, is No. 2 in game experience in the country and No. 12 in returning starts. 
“Just in terms of quality depth, I mean, this is probably the best team we've had,” Lea told Vandy on SI. “Obviously, we have some big gaps to fill, and some of those gaps were our production leaders from a year ago, but I like this team. 
I like where we are.” 
This Vanderbilt team doesn’t appear to have the elite names at the top of the roster that Lea’s 2025 team did, but he believes he’s got a capable group at every level. 
In Vandy on SI’s top 20 players list, all three phases will be represented, as well as every offensive and defensive position group. 
No. 18: Brian Allen
Allen didn’t take on a starter-level workload at Iowa, but that will change quickly. If everything goes to plan, Allen will be one of Vanderbilt’s primary pass rushers and will work on the opposite side of Miles Capers.
Those within Vanderbilt’s program rave about Allen and how he could take a step forward after appearing in 27 games and recording 3.5 sacks in three seasons at Iowa. 
"He's a good football player," Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Steve Gregory said. "He plays sound. He plays with great technique. He brings some physicality to the game and intensity about him that creates some leadership and some accountability. And just, he has pass rush ability. He has some different things that he can do at that position. And he's coming along, growing within our system, learning the things that we do defensively and our terminologies."
Why No. 18?
The way people within Vanderbilt’s McGugin Center talk about Allen would indicate that he should be higher on the list, but his production isn’t wowing at this stage and doesn’t stack up with some other Vanderbilt players.
Lea has Allen right where he wants him, though, with something to prove.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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