4 stories in the last 60 days, from 2 outlets.
C.J. Heard
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. The three seasons span two programs and two head coaches: Chad Lunsford and Clark Lea. A game that shows it: 9 tackles against Kentucky — Week 8, 2026.
62 tackles · 3 sacks
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
62 tackles. 6 passes defended. 1 interception. 4 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 2 outlets
CJ Heard Keeps Giving Vanderbilt Fans a Reason to Watch
On3 Oct 16 · 1 outlet
from 2 outlets
CJ Heard Keeps Giving Vanderbilt Fans a Reason to Watch
On3 Oct 16 · 1 outlet
On3
Vanderbilt CommodoresVanderbilt CommodoresVanderbilt CommodoresEach week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories we tracked, by school.
Vanderbilt7 stories2025 to nowMost about: profile and feature, in his words.
Sports IllustratedExclusive: CJ Heard Feels Improved and Ready For Second Season in the SEC for Vanderbilt FootballJun 17
Locked OnVanderbilt Adds Virginia as a Future Opponent | CJ heard could be A defensive X factorJun 21Sports IllustratedExclusive: CJ Heard Expects a Lot From Himself This Season and Wants Fans to Expect it, TooJul 3Vanderbilt CommodoresCJ Heard - Delaware Postgame ConferenceSep 12Vanderbilt CommodoresVUFB - MK Young & CJ Heard - Auburn PostgameSep 26
Florida Atlantic2024not trackedStories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Season | Team | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vanderbilt | 62 | 43 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 71 | 46 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | Florida Atlantic | 74 | 49 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- |
| Career | 207 | 138 | 8.0 | 5.0 | 10 | 2 |
Last game (Wk 8): 1 pass breakup, 9 tackles.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 28-9vs Austin Peay | 6 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-26vs Delaware | 8 | 5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | — | 1 | 2 sacks |
| Wk 3 | W 35-31vs NC State | 8 | 7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | L 15-21@ Auburn | 9 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 9 tackles |
| Wk 5 | L 14-38@ No. 2 Georgia | 9 | 8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 6 | L 17-52vs No. 9 Ole Miss | 4 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2 | |
| Wk 7 | L 21-31vs Arkansas | 9 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 17-34@ No. 12 Kentucky | 9 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 62 | 43 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1 | 6 |
Oct. 24 · L 17-34 at Kentucky, play by play
9 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 10 for him; the box score credits 9.
His game this year: coverage — 6 passes defended in the 8 games with play by play.
How Vanderbilt’s defense played that day
Kentucky’s 8 drives: 2 stopped · 6 scored. While the game was within a score they held 2 of 6.
9 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
4 tackles, including 1 more for loss, 1 interception, 2 passes broken up, tied for 5th-most passes broken up in FBS that week. His interception on 3rd and 10 ended Ole Miss’s drive (int).
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Intercepted on 3rd and 10. Third quarter, down 42-10. Ended Ole Miss’s drive (int).
9 tackles, including 1 sack, 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 7-yard loss. Second quarter, down 14-7.
9 tackles, including 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 10 for him; the box score credits 9.
8 tackles.
8 tackles, including 2 sacks, 1 pass broken up, tied for 4th-most sacks in FBS that week.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 6 of his 8, sacks included.
Forced a fumble. First quarter, tied 0-0.
Sacked the quarterback for a 12-yard loss on 3rd and 9. Third quarter, up 27-17.
6 tackles. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Ratings of the games shown run from -12 to +27 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
PD rate
10%6 pass breakupsInterceptions
1interceptionsTackle volume
62tackles this seasonTFL rate
6%4 TFL62 tackles · 4 for loss · 3 sacks · 6 pass breakups · 1 interception.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 7.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.6 |
| Road3g | 9.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-77g | 7.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.7 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 9.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clark Lea
Pass share
51.0%
253 pass / 243 run
Plays / game
62.0
8 games
Team sack rate
5.0%
281 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
62 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than nearly every FBS defensive back who plays every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
Three-star recruit. Now #5 at the position.
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #5 of 28 SEC Ss
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 35% of returning players who ranked #4–10 at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 31–38%).
2026 is in progress.
A stat line in 32 games over three seasons.
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesPlayed for 2 head coaches at 2 schools: Tom Herman and Clark Lea.
