Tennessee fans still can't agree what Carson Gentle is — the eye test and the résumé keep splitting the room.
6′3″ · 265 lb · Chattanooga, TN · McCallie School
The numbers
sacks · 2025
0.5 TFL · 3 tackles
3 games into 2025 so far -- Best game: 0.5 TFL, 1 tackles, vs UAB
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 defensive lineman on Tennessee's 2025 roster.
Carson Gentle
Carson Gentle is on trial in Tennessee's fan jury — the eye test against the résumé.
Tennessee fans can't agree whether the tape backs the reputation.
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-15
His career
Career arc
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Josh Heupel — 18-8 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2025 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Josh Heupel
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2025
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2025
W 72–17
1 SOLO · 1 TOT
Dominant 55-point win at home against East Tennessee State.
With J. Aguilar — 288 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 74.4 · J. Merklinger — 118 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 89.8 · 17 rush yds (2 car)
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 2 | W 72-17vs East Tennessee State | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 4 | W 56-24vs UAB | 1 | 0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 12 | W 42-9vs New Mexico State | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
2026 Outlook
Tennessee
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Tennessee
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Tennessee · Last season: 8-5 (AP #18) · Talent rank #13 · 2026 recruiting class #8
CAREER HONORS 2025 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2024-25 SEC First-Year Honor Roll CAREER Skilled, versatile defensive lineman who enters his third season with the program in 2026 … Has also contributed on special teams … Two-time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll … Played in 16 career games....
18 more on the roster · Tennessee team page