Former football star Reshard Langford is the latest entrant to our VandySports 100, our ranking of the top 100 players we've covered since starting in 2003.
Honors and awards: 2005 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman team
2005 honorable mention Sporting News Freshman All-American
2005 co-Defensive Back MVP for Vanderbilt
2006 Secondary MVP for Vanderbilt
In the VU record book: Career interceptions: tied for seventh (11)
Before VU: Langford was a three-year starter at running back and safety for Tanner (Ala.) High School. He was a Birmingham News first team all-state pick as a senior and the Decatur Daily's 1A-3A Player of the Year that season. Rushed for 1,459 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior for a 10-2 team. Ran for 1,351 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior. Also earned all-area honors in basketball and track and field.
Freshman (2005): After redshirting, Langford started all 11 games at free safety and led the team with three interceptions. Forced a fumble, had an interception and nine tackles vs. LSU, which earned him team Defensive Player of the Week honors. Had his first career interception against Richmond, and added another in a season-ending win over Tennessee. Vanderbilt allowed 292. points and 394 yards per contest.
Sophomore (2006): Playing hurt for a portion of the season, Langford started every game and was the team's postseason Captain's Award recipient. Was the team's Defensive Player of the Week against Ole Miss (seven tackles, one interception) and South Carolina (five tackles, one fumble recovery). VU's defense allowed 23.7 points and 353 yards per game.
Junior (2007): Started all 12 games at strong safety. Earned or shared team Defensive Player of the Week honors against Georgia, Florida and Tennessee. Had five tackles and an interception vs. Alabama. Had season-best games for total tackles with 10 against the Gators and Vols. The Commodore defense allowed 22.6 points and 325 yards per game.
Senior (2008): Langford started all 13 games at strong safety and ranked fourth on the team that made (and won) VU's first bowl game since 1982. That defense allowed just 19.6 points and 320 yards per game. Had a 41-yard interception return touchdown in a season-ending loss to Tennessee.
Post-VU: The un-drafted Langford spent two years in the NFL with Kansas City. He's now a strength and conditioning intern for the Minnesota Vikings.
Final thoughts, and why I ranked him where I did: Few players we've covered match Langford's rock-solid record for consistency. He manned both safety spots, played through injury but never missed a game (and started all 48 of them), was a team leader and produced every season.
Langford was also part of two teams that did significant things. The 2005 squad, which came within a win of bowl eligibility after a 4-0 start, had the program's first win against Tennessee since 1982. Langford was also a key cog on the 2008 Music City Bowl-championship team, which captured VU's first winning season since '82.
Langford didn't get much in the way of significant hardware (he never made an All-SEC team). But he made a big impact on the team's best four-year run of wins (VU went 21-27 in his career) in decades at that time, and a short stint in the NFL validated his talent, too.
