Randon Fontenette Wants to Show NFL Teams That His 2024 Production Was No Fluke

Atlanta–Randon Fontenette knows that after the year he had in 2024, every rep he takes will have NFL eyes on it.

If he makes a play in the run game it’ll be noted. If he takes a play off, it will turn teams off. If he forces a turnover, it could be played on ESPN in the moments following his name being called if all goes to plan. When you rack up 41 tackles, record 3.5 sacks and run back an interception against Alabama like Fontenette did, you have the privilege of knowing that NFL teams have a file on you.

With that comes a level of pressure, too. Players in Fontenette’s position have to perform like a professional in front of the mic at SEC Media Day. They have to impress once they get on scouts’ radar, too. You can’t be a one-year wonder and expect to be drafted where you want to be.

Fontenette isn’t naive to that reality. He knows he’s got eyes on him. He wants to show evaluators what he’s about, though.

“I just want to show teams that I can do it at all levels, I can do it more than once,” Fontenette told Vandy on SI. “It just didn't happen because of luck, I want to show teams that I'm actually a playmaker and I actually make plays and I actually can change the field for our offense and help guys around me also elevate. I can help players around me perform better just because of the energy and the mindset I bring to the field.”

Fontenette enters his junior season at Vanderbilt with a year under his belt in Vanderbilt’s system and perhaps a different swagger about him. A year ago he was working to make sure to find a place he could earn a starting role and a situation he was familiar with somewhere after a freshman season at TCU in which he didn’t earn a full-time starting role.

Now he’s walking around SEC Media Days after picking Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia’s outfit and showing off his media training that will serve him well. Bigger than that, he walks around like someone who’s done something before.

It appears as if Fontenette is walking around Vanderbilt’s facility in a similar way.

“Randon, a productive year last season, He stepped up in critical moments and made season-defining plays on defense,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said. “He has improved in all areas this offseason, but most importantly he's modeled a consistency in his work, and really exhibited some leadership qualities that we'll rely upon this fall.”

"He's a silent killer," cornerback Martel Hight added. "He's demanding, but in a positive way. He's like Rambo as a leader, you know? That's kind of what he is. He's the Rambo of our team; he's just a dog."

Perhaps some of the production that gives Fontenette a platform to lead was a result of his year-to-year development, but some of it has to be accredited to him becoming Vanderbilt’s primary STAR–a hybrid safety/linebacker position.

The Vanderbilt junior was enticed to end up at Vanderbilt as a result of Lea’s track record of developing STARs like former Vanderbilt safety CJ Taylor. Now he appears to be reaping the benefits of his decision,

“It's unlocked it a lot,” Fontenette said of the position change. “Just being versatile, being closer to the ball, being able to blitz, to being able to cover man to man, it just shows the scouts a lot, like ‘okay, he's a real football player.’ So I just feel like it'll translate to the NFL easily.”