Charges Dropped Against Former Vanderbilt Football Wide Receiver
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The charges of aggravated assault by strangulation, identity theft and false identification against former Vanderbilt wide receiver Kayleb Barnett have been dropped, the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office told Nashville News Channel 2.
Barnett was arrested on Oct. 11 after the officer on scene described seeing Barnett holding someone in a chokehold. When authorities arrived on scene, the officer “observed the victim fall to the ground, motionless, appearing to be unconscious, with a substantial amount of blood surrounding his person that was emanating from the victim,” per the arrest report. Law enforcement said they detained Barnett without incident, adding that the alleged victim woke up shortly afterward. A witness said Barnett was in a fight in which he threw the first punch, but Barnett said the alleged victim threw the first punch. Barnett posted a $5,000 bond.
The 20-year old Barnett was set to appear in court on Nov. 13 at 10:30 A.M. for a settlement hearing.
Vanderbilt dismissed Barnett from the program following his arrest, saying he “violated team and university standards.”
“We can’t be any more clear on the boundaries we have," Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said to the media in the days following Barnett's dismissal from the program. "Anytime you remove someone from the program, that’s not an unemotional decision. That is not a decision made lightly."
Barnett had seven receptions for 36 yards this season and a long of 12 yards through the first six games of the 2026 season. He was listed as a second-string receiver on its depth chart prior to Vanderbilt's 52-17 loss to Ole Miss. Barnett has played 51 total snaps as a sophomore this season. He finished his freshman season with six receptions, 53 receiving yards, 29 rushing yards on six attempts and a touchdown. Barnett also returned a kick for 21 yards against Iowa in Vanderbilt's ReliaQuest Bowl loss.
Vanderbilt was the only FBS program to offer Barnett — who was a non-ranked prospect at that stage before eventually being labeled as a three-star recruit — out of high school after running a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at one of Vanderbilt's camps in the summer prior to his senior year of high school. That speed immediately translated as Vanderbilt used Barnett in the first drive of his first college game and never stopped including him in game plans.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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