Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-9vs Furman | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-24@ Georgia Tech | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Nathan Robinson is Tennessee's standing debate — same snaps, two verdicts, every single week.
6′7″ · 295 lb · Greenbrier, TN · Greenbrier
The numbers
sacks · 2026
4 tackles
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, at Georgia Tech
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 defensive lineman on Tennessee's 2026 roster.
Nathan Robinson
Nathan Robinson is on trial in Tennessee's fan jury — the eye test against the résumé.
Tennessee fans are litigating his worthiness — the eye test against the résumé.
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
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Josh Heupel.
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Josh Heupel — 20-8 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 splits
Through 2 games: 2.0 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
Josh Heupel
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Player standing · 2025
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–9
vs Furman
2 TOT · 1 SOLO
Dominant 47-point win at home against Furman.
With F. Brandon — 226 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 68 rush yds (10 car) · 2 TD · M. Matthews — 4 rec · 132 yds · 2 TD
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-9vs Furman | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 2 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-24@ Georgia Tech | 2 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 4 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
Play style
Wins his gap play after play.
CFB Index positional classification
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
Player DNA
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to James Thompson Jr.’s 2023 season.
Matches James on
Differs from James on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Derrick LeBlanc's sophomore season at UCF (2025).
Matches Derrick on
Player DNA
CAREER HONORS 2025 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll CAREER Tall, nimble playmaker who has progressed into a key member of the defensive interior … Entering his fourth season with the program in 2026 … Was a consistent special teams c...
18 more on the roster · Tennessee team page