Vanderbilt Football Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 4 – 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. 4: Bryan Longwell
Longwell is among the faces of this 2026 Vanderbilt team, and he’s been productive enough to back up that stature. 
Somewhere atop the Vanderbilt statistical leaders is Longwell’s name in the tackle category every season. In 2024, he was No. 1. In 2025, he was No. 2. Odds are, he’ll be in one of those two spots in 2026.
Longwell was credited with being a part of 18 TFLs in 2025 and holds the Vanderbilt defense together as a result of his ability to clean up in the box. He’s already been a production leader for this Vanderbilt program, and he appears to be in line to be one again. 
“The guys that we think could be kind of production leaders, obviously, you're going to talk about Bryan Longwell,” Lea said. “He's fifth among returning SEC linebackers in career tackles. Sixth in career pass breakups, seventh in career interceptions, led the SC in tackles for loss or no gain. 
So a guy that's been disruptive, he's been a high havoc player.” 
Why No. 4? 
Longwell has proven to be productive and is as consistent a producer as there is in this program. He could be the program’s best player by the end of the season, but he’s got to take a step in order to do so.
By the end of the season, Longwell wants to be more than just a volume tackler. He wants to get after the passer. He wants to force more fumbles. He wants to get his hands on more passes.
If he does that, watch out.
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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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