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 |
#19
Nathan Robinson
Nathan Robinson is Tennessee's standing debate — same snaps, two verdicts, every single week.
6′7″ · 295 lb · Greenbrier, TN · Greenbrier
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026 · through week 3
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 tackles, at Georgia Tech
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior defensive lineman on Tennessee's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Tennessee in 2023.
Buzz vs Tape
Fans warmer than rivals
His own fans are far more bullish than the rival fanbase.
39.2own fans
20rival fans
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Also worth knowing:
Nathan Robinson
On Trialas of 2026-09-22
Nathan Robinson is on trial in Tennessee's fan jury — the eye test against the résumé.
4TACKLES0SACKS
Tennessee fans are litigating his worthiness — the eye test against the résumé.
medium confidence6 sources
Minority viewA vocal minority sees it the other way.
Read the story so far
AI-generated narrative · may contain errors · not journalism · updated 2026-09-22
His career
2023
- Signed with Tennessee3-star out of Greenbrier
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Tennessee
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
1 coach2024–2026
Tennessee
Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.
Career stats
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–9
vs Furman
2 tackles · 1 solo tackles
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
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
3 seasons under Josh Heupel — 21-8 over that span.
2024Tennessee10-3HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
2025Tennessee8-5HC: Josh Heupel · Balanced
2026Tennessee3-0HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th 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: 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
Pass share
35.9%
74 pass / 132 run
Plays / game
68.7
3 games
Team sack rate
5.0%
80 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-heavy.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
How he plays
Play style
Wins his gap play after play.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Two-Gap Base
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
IDL
His 2025 production profile sits closest to James Thompson Jr.’s 2023 season.
80%match
Matches James on
TFL rate
Weight
Sack rate
Differs from James on
Class year (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Derrick LeBlanc's sophomore season at UCF (2025).
75%match
Matches Derrick on
Class year
Weight
Sack rate
Player DNA
Players who play like Nathan Robinson
Background
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…
The defensive line · Tennessee
- #33Jordan Norman8 tackles for loss · 2025
- #5Daevin Hobbs3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #2Xavier Gilliam3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #18Tyree Weathersby3 tackles for loss · 2025
- #19Nathan Robinson2.5 tackles for loss · 2025
18 more on the roster · Tennessee team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology