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Football

Dores in the NFL

Tracking how former Vanderbilt standouts are doing in professional football

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — This information on former Vanderbilt student-athletes on current National Football League and additional professional rosters was updated Jan 18.

Khari Blasingame (2015-18) // Tennessee // Blasingame was signed to the Titans’ 53-man roster during the 2019 season. He finished the 2019 campaign appearing in nine games with four receptions for 54 yards.

Blasingame played in 16 games this season for the Titans and started seven. He had four receptions for 39 yards, an 11-yard kick return and three tackles.

 

 

Oren Burks (2014-17) // Green Bay // Burks was a third-round pick of the 2018 NFL Draft and competed for a starting job at linebacker as a rookie in Green Bay.

Burks has played 17 games in 2020 and has 22 tackles, two forced fumbles and one tackle for a loss. The Packers host Tampa Bay on Sunday in the NFC Championship game.

 

 

 

 

Adam Butler (2013-16) // New England // Butler completed his third season in New England in 2019. He played in 16 games, had 26 tackles – 8.0 for a loss – and 6.0 sacks as well as five passes defended.

Butler made 34 tackles – 6.0 for a loss – and 4.0 sacks in 15 games for the Patriots this season.

Zach Cunningham (2013-16) // Houston // The 57th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Cunningham has become a starter and one of Houston’s most-productive defenders. He was a consensus first team All-American at inside linebacker for the Commodores in 2016.

The Houston linebacker made an NFL-best 164 tackles to go along with 3.0 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss in 16 games this season. 

 

 

 

 

Casey Hayward (2008-11) // Los Angeles Chargers // Hayward completed his eighth season in 2019. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro defender who topped the NFL in 2016 with seven interceptions.

Hayward made 41 tackles and defended eight passes in 14 games for the Chargers this season.

 

 

Tre Herndon (2014-17) // Jacksonville // Herndon finished his second NFL season in 2019 after playing in 11 games with Jacksonville. He played in 16 games and started 14 in 2019 and finished with 54 tackles – one for a loss – and defended 13 passes.

This season, Herndon made 76 tackles (4.0 for a loss), recorded a sack and defended five passes in 16 games for the Jaguars.

 

 

Will Holden (2013-16) // Indianapolis // A fifth-round pick by Arizona in 2017, Holden has been with five NFL teams as an offensive tackle and guard. He began the 2020 campaign with the Ravens’ practice squad before being elevated to the active roster Nov. 21 and played 30 offensive snaps and four special teams snaps for the Ravens that day.

Holden then signed with Indianapolis on Dec. 14 and started a Dec. 27 game at Pittsburgh in which he played 52 snaps on offense.

Jared Pinkney (2015-2019) // Tennessee // Pinkney signed a free agent deal with Atlanta in April and spent the 2020 season with the Falcons practice squad.

Pinkney set the Vanderbilt record for career receiving yards by a tight end with 1,560. Pinkney’s 114 career receptions shares the program mark by tight ends and he appeared in 50 games as a Commodore.

Pinkney signed with the Tennessee Titans in January.

Spencer Pulley (2011-15) // New York Giants // Pulley joined the Giants early in the 2018 season and eventually went on to start nine games on the offensive front. In 2017, Pulley served as the Los Angeles Chargers’ starting center for all 16 regular season games. He finished the 2019 season with 95 offensive plays.

Pulley did not play in a games during the 2020 season.

Trent Sherfield (2014-17) // Arizona // Signed as a rookie free agent, Sherfield is in his fourth season with Arizona. He was targeted 13 times in 16 games during the 2019 campaign and had four receptions for 80 yards.

Sherfield had five receptions for 50 yards in 15 games for the Cardinals this season. He also recovered three fumbles and made nine tackles during special teams duties.

Kyle Shurmur (2015-18) // Cincinnati // Shurmur put together one of the more impressive careers in a Vanderbilt uniform by passing for more than 8,800 yards in 44 careers games. He also completed 64 touchdown passes.

Shurmur originally signed with Kansas City in 2019 as an undrafted free agent and spent this past fall as a volunteer coach on campus with the Commodores. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 17 and was assigned to Cincinnati’s practice squad.

Justin Skule (2015-18) // San Francisco // Skule was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the 49ers and played 546 snaps this season on offense and 85 on special teams in 17 games in 2019.

Skule played in all 16 games and started four this past season mostly as a special teams contributor. Skule played on 255 offensive snaps and 66 special teams plays.

Emmanuel Smith (2014-17) // Kansas City // Smith is in his second season with the Chiefs and has appeared in one career game, that coming Dec. 20 when he played 16 snaps on special teams at New Orleans.

Kansas City hosts Buffalo on Sunday in the AFC Championship game.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn (2017-2019) // Tampa Bay // Vaughn was selected 76th overall in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Vaughn ranks fifth all-time at Vanderbilt with 2,272 rushing yards despite making just 24 appearances.

Vaughn has five receptions for 34 yards and 31 carries for 130 yards in 11 games this season. The Buccaneers travel to Green Bay for the NFC Championship on Sunday.

 

 

 

Stephen Weatherly (2012-15) // Carolina // Weatherly played his fourth NFL season in 2019 with the Minnesota Vikings. In March, Weatherly signed a two-year free agent deal with Carolina.

Weatherly made 17 tackles – 1.0 for a loss – in nine games this season.

 

 

Joejuan Williams (2016-18) // New England // Williams was selected as the 45th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Patriots.

Williams made 18 tackles and defended two passes in 15 games for the Patriots this season.

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