Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 28-9vs Austin Peay | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 35-26vs Delaware | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
#26
Cayden Daniels
Sophomore cornerback for Vanderbilt. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 189 lb · Cordele, GA · Crisp County
Returning to Vanderbilt for 2026
The numbers
1
interception · 2026
7 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 INT, 3 tackles, vs Delaware
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 cornerback for Vanderbilt. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Vanderbilt in 2025.
Cayden Daniels
He has spent two seasons in the Vanderbilt secondary. The receipt: 4 tackles against Austin Peay — Week 1, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
His career
20253 games
- Signed with Vanderbilt3-star out of Crisp County
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Vanderbilt
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Clark Lea — 12-3 over that span.
2025Vanderbilt10-3HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2026Vanderbilt2-0HC: Clark Lea · Run-leaning
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: qb hurries (83rd percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (7)
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 & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clark Lea
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vanderbilt | 7 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 6 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 13 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 28–9
vs Austin Peay
4 TOT · 3 SOLO
With T. Ebel — 52 AVG · 1 IN 20 · 59 LONG · B. Berlowitz — 149 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · 45 rush yds (11 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Vanderbilt
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Cornerback · Vanderbilt
Returning around him
- 1 Vanderbilt player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -2 net (18 in / 20 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Vanderbilt · Last season: 10-3 (AP #13) · Talent rank #42 · 2026 recruiting class #33
The secondary · Vanderbilt
- #8C.J. Heard71 tackles · 2025
- #7Ricardo Jones39 tackles · 2025
- #4Martel Hight35 tackles · 2025
- #1Dontae Carter33 tackles · 2025
- #26Cayden Daniels6 tackles · 2025
18 more on the roster · Vanderbilt team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology