Senior defensive tackle on Vanderbilt's 2026 roster.
6′5″ · 295 lb · Antioch, TN
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
sacks · 2025
9 tackles · 1 hurries
Best game: 3 tackles, at Texas Tech
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive tackle on Vanderbilt's 2025 roster.
Michael Diatta
Wins his gap play after play. Michael Diatta has played for three head coaches across five seasons and two programs. The receipt on tape: 3 tackles against Texas Tech, Week 9, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 5 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
The role got bigger.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2021–2025
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Clark Lea.
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Vanderbilt
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 · 6 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+3g | 2.0 | 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
Three-star recruit. Now #149 at the position.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oklahoma State | 9 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Virginia | 29 | 13 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Virginia | 18 | 6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2022 | Virginia | 5 | 3 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2021 | Virginia | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 64 | 27 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
Game log · Week-by-week
2025 season · 6 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 5 | L 27-45vs Baylor | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | L 13-41@ Arizona | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 7 | L 17-39vs Houston | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | L 17-49vs Cincinnati | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 0-42@ Texas Tech | 3 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 3 tackles |
| Wk 12 | L 6-14vs Kansas State | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
CFB Index positional classification
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 Kahlil Saunders’s 2022 season.
Matches Kahlil on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Eddie Kelly's senior season at West Virginia (2025).
Matches Eddie on
Player DNA
18 more on the roster · Vanderbilt team page