Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
By Chris Marler
We wrap up our transfer portal report cards around the SEC with the Vanderbilt Commodores. Clark Lea’s bunch once again won in the portal and finished with one of the top 20 classes in the country according to On3.
We talked with Corey Burton from LockedOn Vandy to hear his thoughts on the class as a whole.
Numbers to Know
- Players Lost: 15
- Players Gained: 17
- On3 Ranking: No. 17
- 247Sports Ranking: No. 42
Headliner – EDGE Brian Allen (from Iowa)
Allen was the No. 112 player in the portal and the No. 11 ranked EDGE player in the cycle, according to On3. He didn’t put up huge numbers at Iowa but did collect three sacks each of the last two seasons. He also had one of the highest pass rush grades in the Big Ten this past season at 79.5.
He doesn’t have tremendous size at 6-foot-3, 264 pounds but he’s a good athlete that has shown he can rush the passer with bend and still have the athleticism to drop back in coverage.
Iowa junior defensive end, Brian Allen Jr. has entered the transfer portal, sources tell me and @mzenitz.
He has played in 28 games, registering 34 tackles, 5 TFL and 3.5 sacks in three seasons. pic.twitter.com/DebpSVxEC7
— Eliot Clough (@EliotClough) January 3, 2026
Biggest Loss – WR Tre Richardson (to Louisville)
Richardson was awesome for the Commodores last year, leading them in receiving yards with 806 and a whopping 17.5 yards per catch. He also added seven touchdown receptions on the year. He’s off to Louisville, not ideal when you’re trying to replace that kind of production, but at least it’s not a program Vanderbilt sees on its regular path.
Instant Impact – TE Jayvontay Conner (from East Carolina)
Vanderbilt is replacing arguably the best tight end in America in Eli Stowers. Stowers was great in this offense for the last two seasons racking up over 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns over his two seasons in Nashville.
Stowers wasn’t a physical freak like Trey’Dez Green. He was 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds. The same size as Jayvontay Conner. Conner had a breakout season for East Carolina, hauling in 23 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns. He also has just three drops in his career. He should make a big impact right off the bat for the Commodores.
Signed and sealed 🖋️
Officially a Commodore, @ConnerJayvontay! pic.twitter.com/YmfJjarjmD
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) January 6, 2026
Biggest Sleeper – WR Ja’Cory Thomas (from Old Dominion)
Thomas was awesome for Old Dominion this past season. ODU finished with the No. 14 ranked offense in America for yards per game with 454.7. Of the 2813 yards they had through the air last season, Thomas was responsible for over 25 percent of them. In 12 games he grabbed 41 receptions for 719 yards and a ridiculous 17.5 ypc. He also had 20 catches for 15 yards or more on the season and was lethal on third down.
On the season he had six targets on third down, he caught all six and converted each for first downs. He was incredibly consistent, catching at least two passes in every game he played on the season.
6️⃣ pic.twitter.com/sAyxLeXJ5P
— Ja’Cory Thomas (@jacory_thomas10) December 23, 2025
Overall Grade – B+
One of the things I have loved most about a few SEC classes is also the case with Vanderbilt. They brought in more players than they lost. They didn’t lose anyone of huge significance. Most importantly, they didn’t lose a single player to the SEC and lost only three players to other Power Four programs. They did a tremendous job and won the exchange rate this year. I also love how much they focused on the trenches with eight of the 17 players brought in on the offensive and defensive line.
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