NASHVILLE -- Vanderbilt’s second fall camp practice brought a little more clarity, and a few more names worth tracking, on the defensive side of the ball Thursday.
With August now serving as the final stretch before the 2026 season opener, the Commodores are trying to squeeze every useful rep out of camp. And on Day Two, the biggest positive signs seemed to come from the second and third levels of the defense.
One of the most active players on the field was Davin Chandler, who kept popping up around the ball throughout practice. He showed up in coverage, then again after completions, and generally looked like he was always in the right place at the right time.
That doesn’t lock him into anything yet, but it does make him a player to watch as Vanderbilt sorts through its safety depth behind projected starters CJ Heard and Clemson transfer Ricardo Jones. Dontae Carter is also in that mix, but Chandler could press for the No. 3 spot if this kind of practice keeps coming.
Linebacker, meanwhile, looks like the most settled room on the defense thanks to the veteran trio of Bryan Longwell, Nick Rinaldi and Bryce Cowan. Still, a couple of younger players made noise Thursday.
Sophomore Austin Howard was around the ball often and did a good job of shutting down plays before they could turn into something bigger. Josiah Broxton also flashed in the middle of the field, including a play where he got his hands on the ball.
Longwell was asked about Howard’s growth and didn’t hold back on the praise.
“That dude is kind of a freak athlete. His charge was to take coaching and apply it on the field. He’s really made strides on doing that,” Longwell said.
Another encouraging note came from the freshman class, where true freshman safety Mason Lewis found himself in the right spots more than once. He was around the ball often and made plays when the opportunities came to him.
That doesn’t mean Lewis is about to jump into a major game role, but it does hint at what might be ahead for him down the road in his Vanderbilt career.
For now, the overall takeaway is a good one for the defense. The linebackers and safeties looked particularly active, while the next big test for the unit will come once pads go on and the defensive line can be evaluated more fully. Until then, Vanderbilt has at least a few defenders starting to show real progress early in camp.
In Other News...
Tristen Brown Is Giving Vanderbilt Needed Depth At Wide Receiver
Tristen Brown spent much of last season doing the work that does not always show up in the box score, lining up as a blocker and taking whatever role Vanderbilt needed from him. Now heading into his junior season, the wideout has started to look like more than a supporting piece in fall camp, where his involvement in the passing game has grown and the staff is giving him a longer look as a potential contributor on offense.
Brown played in all 13 games in 2025, but his opportunities as a receiver were limited. This preseason has brought a different kind of attention, with coaches and Brown both sounding encouraged by how far he has come and how ready he looks for a bigger role. He is projected as the Commodores No. 4 receiver, and the next question is how much of that camp momentum carries into the season once the games begin. [Read more 🡒]
Vanderbilt Must Replace A Lost Deep Threat With A New Receiver Identity
Vanderbilt is heading into the 2026 season with a changed look at receiver after Tre Richardson transferred to Louisville, leaving behind the kind of downfield speed that can tilt coverages and force defenses to defend every blade of grass. Even so, the Commodores are not treating his departure like a reset so much as a reshaping of the room, with a group that includes Kayleb Barnett, JaCory Thomas and Brycen Coleman expected to supply the burst and playmaking that keep the passing game dangerous.
What makes the situation interesting is that the staff sounds encouraged by the depth and versatility still on hand. Replacing a proven deep threat is never a simple one-for-one fix, but Vanderbilt appears set on building a broader receiver identity rather than leaning on a single feature piece, and that could make the group harder to game-plan against if the younger options settle in quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Cowan Looks Ready For Vanderbilts Biggest Defensive Test Yet
Bryce Cowan has spent enough time around Vanderbilts defense to know what being dependable at linebacker is supposed to look like, and this season he has started to show it more consistently. Coaches and teammates have noticed the difference in his work ethic, his physicality and the way he carries himself, all of which have helped him move from a promising piece to a player the Commodores can lean on more often.
With a former standout linebacker moving on after this season, Cowan is positioned for a much bigger role in 2026, and there is already a sense inside the program that he is preparing for it the right way. Nick Lezynski has talked about Cowan like a player with NFL traits, and the next step will be seeing whether that growth shows up when Vanderbilt needs its linebackers to handle one of the toughest tests ahead. [Read more 🡒]