Vanderbilt Athletics
Nick Rinaldi became the first Vanderbilt football student-athlete to earn SEC weekly honors this season when the league announced Monday that he has been selected Defensive Player of the Week.
The senior linebacker from Dover, Massachusetts, played a key role for a Commodore defense that gave up just 21 yards and held Virginia Tech scoreless in the second half on Saturday as Vandy posted 34 unanswered points to claim a 44-20 victory in Blacksburg.
Rinaldi paced the Dores with six total tackles in the contest, which included a career-best 2½ stops behind the line of scrimmage highlighted by one of the unit’s three sacks. He was also credited with a quarterback hurry on third down from the VU-11 that forced the Hokies to settle for a field goal on their opening drive of the night.
It’s the second time in the last three games that Rinaldi has led Vanderbilt in tackles—he made 10 stops in the Dores’ Birmingham Bowl victory over Georgia Tech last December—and the third time he’s accomplished the feat since the start of the 2024 season.
Rinaldi and the Commodores open SEC action Saturday when they visit No. 11/10 South Carolina. The contest is set for a 6:45 p.m. CT start and can be seen on SEC Network.
About the Author
Dalton Tinklenberg is the Founder and Media Director of The Scouting Depot, where he leads comprehensive coverage of college and professional football. He is an active member of some of the most respected organizations in sports journalism, including the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA), Maxwell Football Club, Online News Association (ONA), National Football Foundation (NFF), and the Associated Press Sports Editors (APSE).
Before launching The Scouting Depot, Dalton worked with Blue HQ Media, where he covered major sporting events such as the Indianapolis 500, the College Football Playoff, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Through his professional affiliations and on-the-ground experience, Dalton combines deep knowledge of the game with recognized standards of storytelling, editorial excellence, and authenticity in sports coverage.
