Vanderbilt football transfer portal tracker 2023: Who is joining, leaving the Commodores
Vanderbilt football's offseason has begun.
After a 48-24 loss to Tennessee to end the season, the Commodores (2-10, 0-9 SEC) must now figure out their roster for 2024. Coach Clark Lea has signaled that the program will be more willing to use the transfer portal and NIL than a year ago, when Vanderbilt brought in just two scholarship transfers.
But first, the Commodores will need to figure out who is returning. Undergrads cannot enter the portal until Dec. 4, but those who have received a degree or are graduating in December can enter at any time. Undergraduate students have until Jan. 2 to decide whether to enter the portal.
Incoming transfers can commit any time, even after the window closes, but most fall transfers will commit before the start of the spring semester. Vanderbilt's spring semester begins Jan. 8.
Here's who's coming and going:
Players joining Vanderbilt football via transfer portal
Ole Miss WR Jeremiah Dillon
Dillon did not appear in a game in either of his two seasons with Ole Miss, but he was rated a 4-star recruit out of high school.
He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Eastern Washington CB Marlon Jones Jr.
A two-time All-Big Sky selection, Jones played in 11 games and made 22 tackles with four tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions and two touchdowns in 2023. He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
New Mexico State QB Blaze Berlowitz
The backup quarterback at New Mexico State under new offensive coordinator Tim Beck this season, Berlowitz appeared in one game, throwing for 134 yards and a touchdown in the conference championship against Liberty.
He has four years of eligibility remaining.
Utah QB Nate Johnson
A 4-star recruit out of high school, Johnson redshirted in 2022 before playing in 12 games with the Utes in 2023. He completed 40 of 73 passes for 515 yards, with four passing touchdowns and no interceptions. He was also made an impact in the run game, with 286 yards on 64 attempts and six rushing touchdowns as a part-time starter.
Johnson projects as the most likely starter for the Commodores at quarterback in 2024. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Purdue EDGE Khordae Sydnor
Vanderbilt landed Sydnor over interest from several other Power Five schools.
In 2022, he recorded 22 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. In 2023, he wasn't as productive, with just five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Furman LS Julian Ashby
Ashby was a four-year starter at Furman, one of the top programs in the FCS Southern Conference. In 2023, the Paladins won their conference title and advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
Mississippi State OL Steven Losoya III
Losoya was a three-year starter on the line between Mississippi State and Middle Tennessee. He is originally from Nashville.
He has one year of eligibility remaining.
Wyoming CB Kolbey Taylor
Taylor has a big, 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame. In 2023, he played in nine games with 29 tackles and seven pass breakups. He should compete for a starting spot at cornerback with Martel Hight, Trudell Berry and Tyson Russell.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
TCU S Randon Fontenette
Fontenette, whom Vanderbilt recruited heavily out of high school, played in all 12 games as a freshman for the Horned Frogs, making 16 tackles. He was a 4-star recruit out of high school and was also given a 4-star transfer rating by 247Sports.
He has three years of eligibility remaining.
MTSU DE Zaylin Wood
Wood was a 2022 honorable mention All-Conference USA who had a strong performance in the Blue Raiders' upset over Miami that year.
He wasn't as productive in 2023, but he did have four tackles for loss and three sacks. He also had offers from Georgia Tech and Iowa State.
Players entering the portal from Vanderbilt football
OL Junior Uzebu
Uzebu entered the portal on Dec. 28. He originally joined Vanderbilt from West Virginia and played three seasons with the Commodores, playing in 18 games. In 2023, he was the starting right tackle in the opener against Hawaii but suffered an injury that cost him the rest of the season.
TE Justin Ball
Ball entered the portal on Dec. 6, according to multiple reports. In 2023, Ball, a team captain, had 15 catches for 131 yards and one touchdown but he struggled in the blocking game.
Destination: Mississippi State
WR London Humphreys
Humphreys entered the portal on Dec. 4 after previous reports that he intended to do so.
One of Vanderbilt's most promising receivers, Humphreys was second on the team with 439 receiving yards and four touchdowns. With Humphreys, Jayden McGowan and Will Sheppard all entering the portal, the Commodores are losing their top three receivers from a year ago.
Destination: Georgia
S De'Rickey Wright
A starting safety in 2023, Wright played in 10 games and made 46 tackles, sixth on the team. He had one tackle for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
This is not Wright's first time in the transfer portal, as he also entered after the 2021 season but opted instead to return. He has one year of eligibility remaining.
TE Logan Kyle
Kyle announced his intentions to enter the portal as a grad transfer on Dec. 4. Kyle originally started out at wide receiver but made just one catch in three years before switching to tight end in 2023. He made 11 receptions for 103 yards and also had 25 yards on two rushing attempts. With the likely return of Cole Spence from an injury in 2024, Kyle didn't have a clear path to a starting spot.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.
WR Will Sheppard
Vanderbilt's leading receiver in 2023, Sheppard had 47 catches for 684 yards and eight touchdowns. In four years with the Commodores, he had 2,067 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
Destination: Colorado
S Savion Riley
A rotational safety, Riley played in eight games with two starts in 2023. He collected 48 tackles, fifth on the team, but did not have any tackles for loss, sacks or pass breakups. He announced his intentions to enter the portal on Dec. 3.
He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Destination: Miami
WR Gamarion Carter
Carter announced his intentions to enter the portal on Dec. 2. A reserve wide receiver, Carter appeared in seven games and made three catches for 89 yards. He did not appear after the Florida game on Oct. 7 due to suffering a season-ending injury.
Carter has two years of eligibility remaining.
Destination: Middle Tennessee
QB Walter Taylor
Taylor became the third Vanderbilt quarterback to enter the portal. He appeared in five games in 2023 and completed just five passes for 44 yards, but he made a bigger impact on the run game where he ran for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Destination: Colorado
WR Jayden McGowan
McGowan was Vanderbilt's third-leading receiver in 2023, but his contributions in the run game and on kick returns were perhaps even greater.
He started all 12 games and had 383 receiving yards, 115 rushing yards of and 461 kick return yards. His lone touchdown came on a kick return.
Destination: Boston College
RB Patrick Smith
Smith was a rotational running back for all three years at Vanderbilt, appearing in 29 total games with nine starts. He began 2023 as the starter but was eventually surpassed on the depth chart by Sedrick Alexander.
In three seasons, he ran for 838 yards on 217 attempts with four touchdowns and also made 28 catches for 140 yards. His 327 rushing yards in 2023 were second on the team to Alexander.
A true junior who has not redshirted, Smith has one year of eligibility remaining.
DE Nate Clifton
A team captain in 2023, Clifton put up 7.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He was a three-year starter on the defensive line and spent five total years with the program. He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
Destination: USC
QB AJ Swann
Swann, who started six games in both 2022 and 2023 and threw for 2731 yards and 22 touchdowns in those two seasons, announced his intentions to enter the portal on Nov. 28.
Swann was benched midseason due to both injury and performance and did not appear in six straight games between the end of the season and the final game against Tennessee, which he started.
Destination: LSU
K Jacob Lurie
Lurie was a walk-on transfer from Case Western, a Division III school, who joined the Commodores prior to the 2022 season. In his two years with the program, he did not appear in a game.
Lurie, who is graduating with a degree in computer science, has two years of eligibility remaining.
LB Ethan Barr
Barr announced on Nov. 26 that he would be entering the portal. He was a three-year starter at linebacker for Vanderbilt and a team captain in 2022 and 2023. He is a grad transfer with one year of eligibility remaining.
Destination: Washington
QB Ken Seals
Seals, who spent four years in the program despite multiple benchings, announced on Nov. 26 his intention to enter the portal as a grad transfer. He split time with AJ Swann in 2023, as both signal-callers started six games. Seals threw for 4292 yards in his Commodores career in 2020, 2021 and 2023.
OL Kevo Wesley
Wesley, a reserve offensive lineman who also spent time at defensive line in the past, will transfer, he said on social media Nov. 26.
He has one year of eligibility remaining.
OL Barrett Maddox
Maddox, a freshman in Vanderbilt's 2022 recruiting class, announced his intention to enter the portal Nov. 26. He redshirted the 2023 season.
As an undergrad, Maddox will not be able to formally enter the portal until Dec. 4.
WR/CB Daveon Walker
Walker redshirted in 2022 and saw time in only one game in 2023 as he switched from wide receiver to defensive back to address a lack of depth at the latter position.
He announced his intention to enter the portal on Nov. 16.
Destination: Florida A&M
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Draft declarations, players moving on from Vanderbilt football
LS Wesley Schelling
Schelling, who is graduating in the spring with a degree in electrical and computer engineering, announced on Dec. 16 that he was declaring for the draft and forgoing his final year of eligibility.
He was a two-time All-SEC selection at Vanderbilt.
C Julian Hernandez
Hernandez, Vanderbilt's starting center from 2021-23, announced on Instagram that he was done playing football.
He had one year of eligibility remaining, but it seems he will opt not to use it.
OL Bradley Ashmore
Ashmore declared for the NFL Draft, opting to forgo his final year of eligibility, he announced. Ashmore has been a three-year starter at both right tackle and right guard.
CB BJ Anderson
Anderson was a sixth-year senior who was theoretically on his last year of eligibility in 2023, but he played in only three games due to injury.
Since Anderson has already used a redshirt year, he would've needed a waiver for an extra year of eligibility. Instead, he will opt not to try for a waiver, as he announced Dec. 7 that he would declare for the NFL Draft.
Across parts of five seasons (Anderson missed all of 2020), he had 74 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one sack.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football transfer portal tracker 2023
