CJ Heard brings SEC-ready production and playmaking to Vanderbilt’s secondary
CJ Heard is already proving to be a high-floor, high-impact safety for Vanderbilt: in 2025 he started all 13 games, posted 71 tackles, added two sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery, and repeatedly showed up in high-leverage moments. The differentiator is his all-around reliability—he tackles well, flashes as a run defender, and has enough range and intensity to make disruptive plays in coverage and behind the line. He looks like a strong fit for a defense that values physicality, consistency and proven production.
