Tyler Tanner in Late Season Watch List for Prestigious Award

The sophomore has had a big jump this season on both ends of the floor.

Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner (3) pushes up the court with Georgia guard Jordan Ross (3) during the second half at Memorial Gym in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. | ANDREW NELLES / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Vanderbilt point guard Tyler Tanner has been perhaps one of the more surprising players and one of the better stories in college basketball this season. Nobody thought after he averaged 5.7 points per game as a freshman that he would be one of the most impactful players in the country a year later, but it has happened.

And now, Tanner is getting the national recognition that he deserves. Per a media release Friday, Tanner is one of 15 players to make the cut for the late season watch list for the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

Tanner’s impact as an offensive scorer and ball handler is well-documented, but his abilities he possesses on defense are just as important to Vanderbilt’s success this season. Tanner leads all high-major players in college basketball in steals with 67. 

In fact, Tanner could even set a program record for the most steals in a season if he keeps it up. James Strong currently has the Vanderbilt men’s basketball record for the most steals in a season with 77 steals in the 1998-1999 season. 

With three games left in the regular season plus at least one game in the SEC Tournament and at least one game in the NCAA Tournament, Tanner would have to average 2.2 steals per game in those five guaranteed games to break the program record. The more postseason games Vanderbilt wins, the more opportunities Tanner will get to break the record and the higher likelihood he will do it. 

Currently, he is averaging 2.39 steals per game, so Tanner is on pace to break the record even if Vanderbilt did not win in the postseason. Of course, Tanner and the rest of the team would much rather win and let the steal record come secondary.

Tanner’s presence on the defensive end of the floor this season has been maybe even underappreciated by fans around the country. The ball pressure he puts on opposing teams forces opponents into bad passes or it allows Tanner to strip the ball away.

“I think their point guard is very quick and he’s got great anticipation,” Ole Miss head coach Chris Beard said on Tanner's defense after Vanderbilt beat Ole Miss 71-68 on Jan. 31.

Tanner is the only high-major player averaging at least 18 points, five assists and two steals per game. Tanner is one of three SEC players on the late season watch list.

Tanner has been the main catalyst that has helped Vanderbilt get to a 22-6 record this season. The Commodores are four wins shy of tying a program record 26 wins and five wins away from setting a new record.

Vanderbilt tips off against Kentucky Saturday at 1 p.m. CT in Rupp Arena on ESPN.