C.J. Heard
C.J. Heard
Plays like an extra linebacker near the line. Across two seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Chad Lunsford and Clark Lea. The receipt: 12 tackles against South Carolina — Week 3, 2025.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
Career Arc
2025 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
Splits & context
Supporting Cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Clark Lea
Awards
Player Standing · 17 rungs
Tier 2 · StarterR06 · Starter
Starter. Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Vanderbilt | 71 | 46 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 3 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Florida Atlantic | 74 | 49 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 145 | 95 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 4 | 1 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 14 · 2025
W 45–24
at Tennessee
7 TOT · 2 SOLO
Dominant 21-point win on the road against Tennessee.
How he plays
Play style
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Vanderbilt
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Safety · Vanderbilt
Returning around him
- 1 Vanderbilt player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -1 net (18 in / 19 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Vanderbilt · Last season: 10-3 (AP #13) · Talent rank #55 · 2026 recruiting class #33
DNA match
Player DNA
Box Safety
Lives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Tyler Brown’s 2025 season.
Matches Tyler on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Tevin Tucker's sophomore season at Kent State (2024).
Matches Tevin on