Vanderbilt Defensive Players to Watch vs. Mizzou in Week 7

Missouri’s offense will face a revamped Vanderbilt defense.

If the offense of the Missouri Tigers is going to dominate an SEC opponent this fall, it’s likely to come against the Vanderbilt Commodores. This is a team that finished at No. 119 in scoring defense last season, as well as coming in at 107 in run defense and 114 in pass defense.

With all of that said, defense is Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea’s specialty, so the Commodores should improve on that side of the ball.

With a handful of transfers expected to make an immediate impact and a solid bunch of returning starters, Vandy should improve on their ranking of being No. 118 in total defense from 2021.

Still, there’s a lot of work to be done for the Commodores after totaling only nine sacks all last season (easily the bottom of the barrel in the SEC) and allowing over 20 points in all twelve games in 2021.

Here’s a look at some defenders who could make an impact when Missouri hosts Vanderbilt in Week 7.

Linebacker Kane Patterson

Patterson transferred to Vanderbilt from Clemson in the offseason after he saw his playing time decline in his junior season. Before that, he was a consensus top 200 recruit in the 2019 class and became a solid contributor for the Tigers, totaling 37 tackles and a sack across two seasons. He’ll be expected to help Anfernee Orji anchor this Commodores linebacking core, especially against the run.

Linebacker Anfernee Orji

Orji led the team in tackles (93) and tackles for loss (13) last season, and is considered by several to be a legitimate NFL prospect by the time the 2023 NFL Draft rolls around. He was 12th in the SEC in total tackles in 2021, but only had one sack. It’s likely he’ll have an increased focus on getting to quarterbacks in 2022 which could be dangerous for Mizzou’s unproven gunslingers.

Cornerback Jeremy Lucien

Another veteran defender joining the ‘Dores this fall is defensive back Jeremy Lucien, who transferred from UConn in the off-season. Lucien grabbed two picks and deflected four more passes last year, both tied for the most of any Husky in 2021. He should add solid experience to a Vandy secondary that got torched last year as a result of an abysmal pass rush.

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