Senior defensive lineman for Vanderbilt. 2025: 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 6 tackles.
6′1″ · 310 lb · Howell, MI
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
sack · 2025
1 TFL · 6 tackles
Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 tackles, vs Georgia State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive lineman for Vanderbilt. 2025: 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 6 tackles.
Mason Nelson
Wins his gap play after play. Mason Nelson has played for three head coaches across five seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 2 tackles against Kentucky — Week 13, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2021–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Clark Lea.
Season context · Team result + system
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 · 4 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-72g | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
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.
Player standing · 2024
Tackle volume for the position in part-time-starter range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Two-star recruit. Now #182 at the position.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 6 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Western Michigan | 31 | 13 | 8.5 | 3.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Western Michigan | 32 | 16 | 5.0 | 3.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Western Michigan | 8 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2021 | Western Michigan | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 78 | 34 | 15.5 | 7.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 4 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 45-3vs Charleston Southern | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 70-21vs Georgia State | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 9 | W 17-10vs Missouri | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 13 | W 45-17vs Kentucky | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Vanderbilt
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive line · Vanderbilt
Returning around him
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
Player DNA
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
His 2024 production profile sits closest to Tavian Coleman’s 2023 season.
Matches Tavian on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Lawrence Johnson's senior season at Auburn (2023).
Matches Lawrence on
Differs from Lawrence on
Player DNA