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 | 6 | 3 | 0.5 | 0.5 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 35-26vs Delaware | 7 | 2 | 2.5 | 1.5 | — | 2 | Season-high 7 tackles |
| Total | 13 | 5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | — | 3 |
#24
Nicholas Rinaldi
Senior linebacker for Vanderbilt. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 240 lb · Dover, MA
CFB Index 66 · #156 of 583 LBsHigh confidenceReturning to Vanderbilt for 2026
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
13
tackles · 2026
3 TFL · 2 sacks · 3 PBU
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 7 tackles, 2.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks, vs Delaware
His career numbers, season by seasonNicholas Rinaldi
Is steady in every phase without a signature trait. This is his fifth year in the same linebacker corps at Vanderbilt. The receipt: 7 tackles, 2.5 TFL against Delaware — Week 2, 2026.
13 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Vanderbilt
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2022–2026
1 coach2022–2026
Vanderbilt
Played his entire career under Clark Lea.
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
5 seasons under Clark Lea — 26-26 over that span.
2022Vanderbilt5-7HC: Clark Lea · Run-leaning
2023Vanderbilt2-10HC: Clark Lea · Balanced, slow tempo
2024Vanderbilt7-6HC: Clark Lea · Run-heavy, slow tempo
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
High confidence
Elite: passes defended (99th percentile). Strength: sacks (97th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
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: 6.5 TKL/g, 1.5 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 1.5 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 · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
66 · #156 of 583 LBs
Unranked recruit. Now #156 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-SEC
Based on 2025: #23 of 76 SEC LBs
How the All-SEC estimate is computed
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Vanderbilt | 13 | 5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 47 | 20 | 7.0 | 3.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Vanderbilt | 52 | 36 | 6.0 | 6.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | 20 | 9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 1 | -- |
| 2022 | Vanderbilt | 3 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 135 | 70 | 16.0 | 11.5 | 4 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 28–9
vs Austin Peay
6 TOT · 3 SOLO · 0 SACKS
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
Play style
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Vanderbilt
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · 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
DNA match
Player DNA
Balanced Linebacker
Solid in every phase without a signature dimension.
LB
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Eric Ford’s 2025 season.
Matches Eric on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Eric on
Hurry rate (higher)
PD rate (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Eric Ford's senior season at Army (2025).
83%match
Matches Eric on
Tackle volume
Sack rate
PD rate
Differs from Eric on
Hurry rate (higher)
Player DNA
Players who play like Nicholas Rinaldi
The linebacker corps · Vanderbilt
- #11Bryan Longwell70 tackles · 2025
- #24Nicholas Rinaldi47 tackles · 2025
- #22Bryce Cowan32 tackles · 2025
- #30Austin Howard8 tackles · 2025
- #20Jamison Curtis8 tackles · 2025
6 more on the roster · Vanderbilt team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology