NASHVILLE, Tenn. – While the 2021 Vanderbilt football team is preparing to report to fall camp Wednesday, numerous former Commodores spent last week arriving at NFL training camps across the country.
Vandy has 21 alumni in the NFL at the beginning of camps:
- Khari Blasingame, FB, Tennessee Titans
- Oren Burks, LB, Green Bay Packers
- Adam Butler, DT, Miami Dolphins
- Zach Cunningham, LB, Houston Texans
- Casey Hayward Jr., CB, Las Vegas Raiders
- Tre Herndon, CB, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Will Holden, OT, Indianapolis Colts
- Kalija Lipscomb, WR, Tennessee Titans
- Jordan Matthews, TE, San Francisco 49ers
- Andre Mintze, LB, Denver Broncos
- Dayo Odeyingbo, DE, Indianapolis Colts
- Jared Pinkney, TE, Tennessee Titans
- Spencer Pulley, C, Tennessee Titans
- Caleb Scott, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
- Trent Sherfield, WR, San Francisco 49ers
- Kyle Shurmur, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
- Justin Skule, OT, San Francisco 49ers
- Emmanuel Smith, LB, Kansas City Chiefs
- Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Stephen Weatherly, DE, Minnesota Vikings
- Joejuan Williams, CB, New England Patriots
Pulley is one of four former Commodores with Nashville’s own Titans.
Odeyingbo made his rookie appearance in Indy.
Hello, rookies. 👋 #ColtsCamp pic.twitter.com/8YkDR8If10
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) July 24, 2021
He was then placed on the active/non-football injury list. Odeyingbo suffered an achilleas injury in January and is expected to miss the majority of the 2021 campaign.
Cunningham enters his first training camp under head coach David Culley, also a Vanderbilt alum.
Just a couple @VanderbiltU alums and current head coaches.
⚓️ @Coach_Lea
⚓️ @HoustonTexans‘ David Culley #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/m6Xl82aKTa— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) July 21, 2021
Many Commodores are going through camps with new teams. Butler, Hayward Jr., Lipscomb, Matthews, Pinkney, Pulley, Scott, Sherfield and Weatherly all agreed to terms with new clubs during the offseason.
🚨 Not a drill 🚨
Two-time Pro Bowler @show_case29 is ready to light up Vegas. pic.twitter.com/50BWYJS9Tg
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 5, 2021
The #49ers have signed TE Jordan Matthews to a one-year deal.
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) July 31, 2021
We have signed free agent WR Caleb Scott.
» https://t.co/Jbph62a2YK pic.twitter.com/ouBZz6ARG7
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) May 11, 2021
The #49ers have signed WR Trent Sherfield to a one-year deal.
Welcome @Channel__10! #FTTB
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) March 19, 2021
Back to the Twin City for round 2! #Rushmen4Life #Skol pic.twitter.com/Xy6TZ3Jl8P
— Stephen Weatherly (@s_weatherly91) March 4, 2021
Mintze joins Odeyingbo as Vandy rookies in the NFL.
Dreams do come true.. pic.twitter.com/naRpskU1UD
— 🈁Dre (@dremintze) July 29, 2021
In February, Vaughn and the Buccaneers captured Super Bowl LV with a 31-9 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tampa Bay’s training camp began July 25.
Really nice run just now from Ke’Shawn Vaughn, taking a handoff from Blaine Gabbert at the 20 and dashing to the opposite end zone. Solid blocking on the left side opened that up beautifully.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) July 31, 2021
In addition to his offseason training, Williams returned to Vanderbilt this summer to receive his diploma.
Big congrats to @JoejuanW as he officially graduated from @VanderbiltU this weekend!
(via @VandyFootball)
pic.twitter.com/RD09QZ4THX— New England Patriots (@Patriots) May 3, 2021