Vanderbilt’s aerial attack will have a new starting QB, which is getting most of the attention, but the players on the receiving end will be largely different, too. TE Eli Stowers was the leader in receptions at 62, and WR Tre Richardson was the yardage leader at 806. Both of them are gone. For today’s preview, we are just looking at the designated WRs even though the TEs will try to pick up most of Stowers’s production collectively.
The Returning WR1
Even though he led in neither category, Junior Sherrill was second
for both receptions (54) and yards (784) in 2025. In 2024, Sherrill was tied with Quincy Skinner Jr for 2nd on the team in catches (29), again behind Stowers, and behind only Stowers in yardage at 411. He has consistently averaged 14 yards and change per reception as a Commodore with season average yards per reception of 14.6 in 2023, 14.2 in 2024, and 14.5 in 2025. His receptions have risen from 20 to 29 to 54, and the yardage has gone from 293 to 411 to 784.
His totals and averages will probably stagnate in 2026 with a new QB. My expectation is that the offense will not be quite as explosive or as efficient as it was a season ago. Sherrill will be the steadying force. He is an effective route runner who can create separation without having elite speed, and his 5’ 11” does not make him an imposing figure to post up or outjump defenders. Sherrill just makes the smart, effective plays that keep this offense on schedule and rolling along. Then, if the defense gets too comfortable, he may find himself going deep like he did against Alabama on 4th and 1 in 2024.
The Transfer Threat
Ja’Cory Thomas would have been 4th on the Commodores in 2025 in both receptions (41) and yardage (719). He was at Old Dominion. Prior to that, he spent a season at Hutchinson Community College in Kansas where he caught an unknown number of passes for 477 yards over 12 games. 247Sports ranked Thomas as the 44th best WR in the portal. On3 had him at #41. ProFootballFocus ranks Thomas as the 5th best “returning” WR in the SEC with a grade of 75.1 and also included Junior Sherrill at #8 (73.3).
Thomas is almost certainly going to be WR2. He provides more size than Sherrill at 6’3 and 215 pounds. He does not have the same raw speed that Tre Richardson, who departed for Louisville, had. His spring game performance was limited with only 2 catches, but they went for 51 yards. He caught a 32-yard TD from Whit Muschamp.
Thomas is the next most prolific pass catcher on the roster behind Sherrill. He will need to step into that WR2 role. If he can be effective outside the numbers, whether that is over the top or on short routes where his height and length can come into play, the plethora of options behind him and Sherrill should be able to shine in different ways.
The Little Big Threats
Kayleb Barnett and Tristen Brown are 5’8 and 5’10. Barnett had early success with 3 catches for 30 yards against Charleston Southern. The speed was obvious. The size, at 155 pounds to go with his short stature, limited his effectiveness to 6 catches for 53 yards and 6 carries for 29 yards. The speed was obvious though. He will likely be tasked with being the deep threat who, when defenses back off, can catch a screen and burst out for yardage. Jet sweeps and similar extensions of the running game will also be where he can shine.
Brown has been more of a traditional slot receiver. He only has 2 carries for 3 yards in 2 seasons of play. He jumped up to 10 catches for 137 yards in 2025 after only catching 3 balls for 27 yards in 2024. His role almost certainly increases, but how effective can he be? The speed is good but is not game-breaking.
The Converted Tight End
Brycen Coleman had Commodore fans buzzing as some preseason highlight reel catches filtered out of fall camp in 2024. The true freshman then suffered a broken collarbone and would be limited enough that the decision was made to redshirt him. Coleman would get into 5 games, including the Birmingham Bowl, but was only targeted once. He has been unable to put on the weight necessary to stay at TE at 6’5 and only 215 pounds. He made 3 catches for 67 yards in 2025, including a 54-yard TD against Virginia Tech very early in the 2nd quarter that cut the Hokies’ lead from 10-0 to 10-7.
Coleman is a taller figure but should probably be expected to shoulder most of Richie Hoskin’s role. He will also do some part to fill the gaping Eli Stowers-shaped hole in the offense on formations where Stowers would split out from the line. He is going to be a plus-blocker as a WR based on his time at TE, even if the body never developed into a formidable enough figure to stay inside and battle DEs and LBs.
The Unrealized (as of yet) Potential
Joseph McVary made a SPLASH as a freshman when he caught a 65-yard TD to give Vanderbilt, fresh off a loss to Georgia State, a 7-0 lead over the #7 Missouri Tigers. McVay would not record another catch in 2024 and was only able to snag 2 passes in 2025. He was the 71st best WR in his class according to 247’s Composite, but their internal rankings had him at 44. The best thing he could do for Vanderbilt would be to replicate, obviously at a prorated effectiveness, what Junior Sherrill does. He has similar athleticism and size but may even have an advantage in top end speed.
The Alabama Transfer
Cole Adams came over from the Crimson Tide but only had 13 catches for 176 yards in 3 seasons. He is likely going to be a punt returner with 30 returns over the last 2 seasons. He has averaged 7.1 yards per return. At 5’10 and 183 pounds, he is another undersized wideout but could also be a shifty option on screens with those return skills. Whether he has the speed to be an explosive threat remains to be seen.
The Sophomore Hopefuls
Cameran Dickson, Lebron Hill, and Wils Jackson are all sophomores who did not see action in 2025 but will try to force themselves into some role. Dickson was the highest rated recruit as a 3* and the 126th ranked WR per 247’s Composite. He is a shorter but not diminutive 6’0 and 185 pound target. Hill is 6’5 and 190 pounds, so he presents a large target. He was just behind Dickson in the 2025 class at #135.
Jackson was unrated but is another 6’5 frame with a little more meat at 205 pounds. He likely is only going to see action on special teams.
The Freshman Pair
Owen Cabell and Kahden Smith were similarly rated recruits to Dickson and Hill in the class before them. There is obviously a gaggle of older players ahead of them and neither of them seems set for a major role this season. With the new “5 to play 5” eligibility rule, they may seem some action, especially on special teams to help take snaps off older players. If either of them can work into the rotation, either they have been extremely impressive or the players presumably ahead of them are injured or massive disappointments.
Seniors Hoping for Special Team Time
Neither of Ty Burd nor Claiborne Richards have seen any game action, even on special teams, in their time on campus. There is no reason to expect that to change. I am sure they are useful practice squad players and appreciate their service to the team.
Final Verdict
Sherrill is not a typical SEC WR1. He does the job in a more understated way than most. His best role would probably be in the slot if a McVay, Hill, or other player can step up opposite Thomas. There is a whole cluster of slot types in Barnett, Brown, Adams, and Coleman, who will obviously fill the spot differently than the first three. The WR corps really neds a top-end threat. Losing Tre Richardson’s game-breaking speed while still having enough height (6’3) to be tough to defend for smaller DBs was a massive loss. Thomas fills the size but not the vertical threat.
The best Vanderbilt fans can probably expect is a group that has enough depth that teams struggle to key on who may be the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd reads on each play with an occasional explosive play when that unpredictably paired with the Beck/Kill scheme frees someone streaking downfield.
