# Vanderbilt Commodores

Southeastern · FirstBank Stadium, Nashville, TN
Head coach: Clark Lea · year 6 · 26-36 career over 6 seasons, all at VAN
Offense: Multiple · Defense: 4-2-5

## 2026 outlook

- 2025 record: 10-3 (6-2 in conference), final AP rank #15
- National title odds: +22500 (#29 on the futures board)
- Season win total: 5.5 (over priced -140)
- Returning starter games: 40%
- Schedule difficulty: 25th-hardest of 138 FBS teams

## Returning production by unit

| Unit | Returning games | Games back | Depth back |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Skill offense | 51% | 39/76 | 9/14 |
| Offensive line | 20% | 13/65 | 5/14 |
| Defensive front | 43% | 39/90 | 14/22 |
| Secondary | 40% | 26/65 | 10/15 |

## Roster movement

- Key returning: Martel Hight (CB), CJ Heard (SAF), Miles Capers (DE), Nick Rinaldi (LB), Cade McConnell (OL)
- Key departures (with destination): Diego Pavia (QB), Kolbey Taylor (CB), Khordae Sydnor (DE), Zaylin Wood (DL), Jordan White (OL)
- Key arrivals (with previous school): Ja'Cory Thomas (WR) – ODU, Jayvontay Conner (TE) – ECU, Cole Adams (WR) – ALA, Lyndon Cooper (OL) – PITT, Ricardo Jones (SAF) – CLEM

## Depth chart

### Offense

- WR-X: Brycen Coleman, Ja'Cory Thomas, Cameran Dickson, Owen Cabell
- WR-Z: Junior Sherrill, Joseph McVay, Kahden Smith
- WR-SL: Cole Adams, Tristen Brown, Kayleb Barnett
- QT: Beau Johnson, Mitchell Smith
- QG: Cade McConnell, Gunner Givens, Michael Smith
- C: Lyndon Cooper, Keegan Wechsler
- SG: Micah DeBose, Kevo Wesley
- ST: Orion Irving, Clinton Azubuike
- TE: Cole Spence, Jayvontay Conner, Maurice Veney, Walter Taylor, Gabe Fisher
- QB: Jared Curtis, Blaze Berlowitz, Whit Muschamp
- RB: Sedrick Alexander, Makhilyn Young, Jamezell Lassiter, Evan Hampton, Gabe Fields

### Defense

- LDE: Brian Allen Jr., Jake Stanish, CJ Jackson, Hayden Bray
- NT: Yilanan Ouattara, Talan Carter, Mike Diatta
- DT: Glenn Seabrooks III, Jaylon Stone, Bradley Mann, Aaron Bryant
- RDE: Miles Capers, Edwin Kolenge, Mason Carter, Jace McCallum
- WLB: Bryan Longwell, Bryce Cowan, Jailen Ruth
- MLB: Nick Rinaldi, Jamison Curtis, Austin Howard
- LCB: Jordan Matthews, Cayden Daniels, Jaylin Davies
- SS: Ricardo Jones, Jalen Gilbert
- FS: Dontae Carter, Carson Lawrence
- RCB: Martel Hight, Cobey Sellers
- NB: CJ Heard, Jaylin Lackey

### Special Teams

- PT: Tyler Ebel, Conor Weasler
- PK: Brock Taylor, Justin Dewers
- KO: Brock Taylor, Justin Dewers
- LS: Kaden Schickel, Stone Owens
- H: Tyler Ebel, Conor Weasler
- PR: Martel Hight, Tristen Brown
- KR: Kayleb Barnett, Dontae Carter

## 2026 schedule

| Week | Opponent | Site | TV | Spread |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Austin Peay Governors (FCS) | Home | SEC Network+ | VAN -29.5 |
| 2 | Delaware | Home | SEC Network | – |
| 3 | NC State | Home | SEC Network | – |
| 4 | Auburn | Away | – | – |
| 5 | Georgia | Away | – | – |
| 6 | Ole Miss | Home | – | – |
| 7 | Arkansas | Home | – | – |
| 8 | Kentucky | Away | – | – |
| 10 | Mississippi State | Away | – | – |
| 11 | Alabama | Home | – | – |
| 12 | Florida | Away | – | – |
| 13 | Tennessee | Home | – | – |

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Source: SharpData OS – https://www.sharpdataos.com/cfb/teams/vanderbilt
Depth chart updated 2026-08-11. Odds shown are point-in-time snapshots.