Vanderbilt football dismisses Kayleb Barnett following arrest

Vanderbilt University has dismissed wide receiver Kayleb Barnett from the football program following his arrest in Nashville, Tennessee. Barnett faces felony charges of aggravated assault by strangulation and identity theft, along with a misdemeanor charge of false identification.

According to police reports, the incident occurred at the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge. An officer observed a victim fall to the ground unconscious with blood surrounding them after Barnett allegedly placed the individual in a chokehold. While an associate of the victim claimed Barnett threw the first punch, Barnett told authorities he was holding the victim down to prevent further assault after dodging an initial punch.

Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea addressed the dismissal during a press conference, stating that the decision was not made lightly but was necessary to maintain the program’s standards. Barnett, a Tulsa, Oklahoma native, was released from the Davidson County detention center after posting a $5,000 bond and is scheduled for a court appearance on November 13.