Vanderbilt Football 2026 Freaks List: Issa Ouattara Leads The Way With 6-Foot-7 Frame
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NASHVILLE---By definition, a college football freak is a players who can jump ridiculously high, run exceptionally fast or demonstrate unbelievable strength relative to their frame. As Vanderbilt football evolves under head coach Clark Lea, it takes in more guys that fit the description each year.
A mosey around Vanderbilt's McGugin Center every August morning indicates that to be true. As a result, Vandy on SI has put together its Vanderbilt football freak list--modeled after The Athletic's listof 101 college football players.
Here's a few Vanderbilt players that fit the description.
Walter Taylor
Taylor is perhaps the most obvious player on Vanderbilt’s roster that should be included on this list.
Even after a few years—and a position change from quarterback to tight end—Taylor’s 6-foot-7, 235 pound frame is still jarring to those in and around Vanderbilt’s program.
“He definitely flashes,” Vanderbilt tight ends coach Brendan Flaherty said.
Taylor became a fan favorite as a young quarterback because of his unique frame, but he’s as close to consistently seeing the field as he’s ever been as a depth tight end. Taylor’s flash plays are good enough to prompt Flaherty to ask whether he could be an NFL guy down the line. He’s still learning the position and how to fully take advantage of his superpowers, though.
Issa Ouattara
Former Vanderbilt defensive line coach Larry Black said it best. Ouattara has a “97 million” dollar body, if he can harness it.
Ouattara stands at 6-foot-7, 315 pounds and has a more jarring combination of height and strength than any defensive player on Vanderbilt’s roster. Ouattara is the classic example of a freak.
“I don’t feel like I have a genetic ceiling,” Ouattara told Vandy on SI over the summer. “God has blessed me with a lot of talent, so I feel like it’s just in my hands to polish the gift he’s given me and just become the best player I can be.”
What makes Ouattara a noteworthy addition, though, is that he’s got advanced movement skills for someone his size and projects to use them to be one of Vanderbilt’s best players in 2026. Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said a year ago that he believed Ouattara was an NFL player, and program sources appear to echo that sentiment.
Kayleb Barnett
Barnett isn’t a freak in the traditional sense, in fact he’s the opposite. He’s just 5-foot-8, 155 pounds and is Vanderbilt’s smallest scholarship player.
There’s a different type of appeal with Barnett than everyone else on the list, though. Barnett may be Vanderbilt’s smallest player, but he’s also its fastest. And, believe those within Vanderbilt’s program who have seen him, he can fly.
“Everybody just thinks because I’m small that I’m not gonna be able to do nothing,” Barnett told Vandy on SI during the 2025 season. “I’ve got to show them what I can do every time.”
Barnett will have a bigger role as a sophomore for Vanderbilt than he did as a freshman, but his primary asset will still be his speed. He wouldn’t be here without his ability to turn upfield, but–luckily for Barnett–he can fly.
Clinton Azubuike
One guy always stands out when watching Vanderbilt’s offensive line go through drill work, and it’s Azubuike.
Vanderbilt has better, more established linemen on the roster, but Azubuike is the most physically impressive to unknowing observers. And, how could he not be? He’s 6-foot-8–and some around Vanderbilt are starting to say he’s actually 6-foot-9–310 pounds and moves like he’s a few inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter.
“When you’re 6-foot-9, playing with pad level is a challenge,” Vanderbilt offensive line coach Chris Klenakis said. “He is really improving his pad level and that’s really been a stress point with us, with him.”
Azubuike is in the mix to pick up a starting role for Vanderbilt in 2026, but he’ll have to continue to embrace his standout physical tools and stack good practices.
Bryce Cowan
Cowan is the toolsiest, most physically impressive linebacker in Nick Lezynski’s room and was a highly recommended player among those around Vanderbilt’s program when this list was being formulated.
He’s 6-foot-4, 235 pounds, fast and has learned how to translate his power into consistent playmaking alongside Vanderbilt's other veteran linebackers.
“Violent,” Lezynski said in regard to Cowan’s tone on the field.
Mason Carter
Carter was also a highly-discussed player among those around and in Vanderbilt’s program while the list was being formulated, and it’s easy to see. He hasn’t been in a big role yet, but he stands out physically every time he walks out for practice.
In a room that features a few borderline freaks, Carter is one at 6-foot-5, 261 pounds. Not only that, he’s a fluid athlete and has some nasty to him. Perhaps this could be the year in which that translates to more than the three tackles and one quarterback hit he posted in 2025.
"He's done a really good job of improving since he's gotten here," Vanderbilt defensive coordinator Steve Gregory said. "I think he'll be able to do some really good things for us."
Lebron Hill
Hill is all but buried on Vanderbilt’s depth chart in its wide receiver room at this point, but he’s hard to look away from because of all the physical tools he has.
The idea of Hill is ahead of his production at this stage, but he’s 6-foot-5, 190 pounds and a fluid athlete at this stage of his development. Vanderbilt liked Hill as a three-star prospect out of high school, and appears to be invested in him long term.
And, it’s not hard to see why.
Mitchell Smith
Who knows how much Vanderbilt freshman offensive lineman Mitchell Smith actually sees the field right away, but he looks the part.
Smith is 6-foot-6, 320 pounds and has a frame that a number of sources within and around Vanderbilt’s program rave about. His frame is a different type of impressive than Azubuike’s, but is impressive nonetheless.
In Smith, Klenakis and company landed a three-star prospect that held offers from Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Auburn, Florida, Penn State, Missouri, Southern California, Florida State, Clemson, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi State and Stanford.
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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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