Southern 2026 Depth Chart
2025
Southern's 2026 Team Roster/Depth Chart Outlook
NOTE: 2026 rosters are nearly complete but not final. Only players with stats or recruiting/portal ratings are listed. Def Snap % are best estimates. DE/LB are mixed depending on the team.
Wide Receivers
#86 Daejawn Smith SO
H/W
5'11"/170
Rating
0.87
Origin
LT ('26)
#86 Daejawn Smith SO
H/W
5'11"/170
Rating
0.87
Origin
LT ('26)
PlayerH/WReceivingRushingRecBlockPPASnapsRatingOrigin
#86 Daejawn Smith SO 5'11"/170      0.87LT ('26)
#86 Daejawn Smith SO 5'11"/170      0.87LT ('26)
Defensive Line
#98 De'Myrion Johnson (DT) JR
H/W
6'1"/294
Stats
5 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Run D
C-
Rush
C
Cov
C+
Snaps
351 (39%)
Rating
0.88
Origin
LSU ('25)
#98 De'Myrion Johnson (DT) JR
H/W
6'1"/294
Stats
5 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Run D
C-
Rush
C
Cov
C+
Snaps
351 (39%)
Rating
0.88
Origin
LSU ('25)
PlayerH/WStatsPass DRun DRushCovSnapsRatingOrigin
#98 De'Myrion Johnson (DT) JR 6'1"/2945 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS) C- C C+ 351 (39%)0.88LSU ('25)
#98 De'Myrion Johnson (DT) JR 6'1"/2945 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS) C- C C+ 351 (39%)0.88LSU ('25)
Linebackers
#45 Roger Gradney SO
H/W
6'0"/225
Stats
1 Tac, 1 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Run D
C+
Cov
C+
Snaps
4 (0.75%)
Rating
0.85
Origin
NEB ('26)
#45 Roger Gradney SO
H/W
6'0"/225
Stats
1 Tac, 1 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Run D
C+
Cov
C+
Snaps
4 (0.75%)
Rating
0.85
Origin
NEB ('26)
PlayerH/WStatsPass DRun DRushCovSnapsRatingOrigin
#45 Roger Gradney SO 6'0"/2251 Tac, 1 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS) C+   C+ 4 (0.75%)0.85NEB ('26)
#45 Roger Gradney SO 6'0"/2251 Tac, 1 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS) C+   C+ 4 (0.75%)0.85NEB ('26)
Secondary
#7 Zay Franks (CB) GR
H/W
6'3"/200
Stats
2 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Rating
0.83
Origin
USM ('25)
#7 Zay Franks (CB) GR
H/W
6'3"/200
Stats
2 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur
Pass D
0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)
Rating
0.83
Origin
USM ('25)
PlayerH/WStatsPass DRun DRushCovSnapsRatingOrigin
#7 Zay Franks (CB) GR 6'3"/2002 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)    0.83USM ('25)
#7 Zay Franks (CB) GR 6'3"/2002 Tac, 2 Solo, 0 TFL, 0 Sacks, 0 QB Hur0 PD, 0 INT (0 TDS)    0.83USM ('25)

Roster Breakdown & Insights
Roster & Program Overview
HC new hireOC new hireDC new hire
Players with Starting experience20 off • 2 def
Team Talent36# in CFB
Avg Talent / Player0.86Blue-chip 0%
Roster Size84 portal (100%)
Talent Off: 17.4 (2)
Talent Def: 44.48 (6)
Talent ST: 0 ()
New Portal In: 3 (75%)
Portal Losses: 2
Unrated/No Stats: -4
—
Elite: 0
Top 100: 0
Top 250: 0
Top 100 Pos: 2
JAG: 2
Low JAG: 0
JAG-: 0
FR Snaps: 0 (0%)
SO Snaps: 4 (1%)
JR Snaps: 387 (99%)
SR Snaps: 0 (0%)
GR Snaps: 0 (0%)
99% Snaps by Upperclassmen
-4 players on roster have not played, have no stats and no recruiting/portal ratings.
Class Breakdown
Category GRSRJRSOFR
Starters Returning00200
Portal Starters 2026 portal00000
Experienced Depth00000
Off Starters Returning00000
Off Depth Returning00000
Def Starters Returning00200
Def Depth Returning00000
Positions Summary
Unit
Returning
(starters/exp'd depth)
Portal Adds
(starters/exp'd depth)
Snaps
(total/portal/return%)
Outlook
Experience - Production - Notes
QBQB
0 (0)
0 (0)
0(0)0% returning
Exp 0% • Prod 0% — Southern lost their starting QB from last year. Starting QB will be from depth last year.
RBHB
0 (0)
0 (0)
0(0)0% returning
Exp 0% • Prod 0% — Southern lost their top 2 Rushers from last year.
WR/TEWR + TE
0 (0)
0 (0)
0(0)0% returning
Exp 0% • Prod 0% — Southern lost their top 2 WR's from last year.
OLT + G + C
0 (0)
0 (0)
0(0)0% returning
T 0% • G 0% • C 0% — Southern OL: 0 starters back, 0 with multi game experience, 0 more with some game experience. Portal OL: 0 potential starters from '26 Portal, 0 more portals have experience.
DLDE + DT
2 (0)
0 (0)
702(0)100% returning
DE 0% • DT 39% — DL experience and continuity summary.
LBLB
0 (0)
0 (0)
8(8)0% returning
LB 1% — LB experience and continuity summary.
SecondaryCB + S
0 (0)
0 (0)
0(0)0% returning
CB 0% • S 0% — Secondary experience and continuity summary.
Team Snaps: Offense 0 (0 portal) 0% returning • Defense 710 (8 portal) 99% returning
Note: The units rarely add up to a full team of starters/depth in preseason, as inexperienced depth/portals will need to emerge