NASHVILLE, Tenn. — This information on former Vanderbilt student-athletes on current National Football League and additional professional rosters was updated Jan. 24.
Khari Blasingame (2015-18) // Tennessee // In 21 career games with Tennessee coming into the 2021 season the former Vandy running back had eight receptions for 93 yards, five total tackles and a 11-yard kick return while serving on special teams and as a fullback in 2020.
Blasingame made two tackles and also had three carries for six yards and two receptions for four yards in 12 games this season.
Oren Burks (2014-17) // Green Bay // Burks was a third-round pick of the 2018 NFL Draft and had played in 42 games with the Packers registering 56 tackles and forced two fumbles before the start of the 2021 season.
Burks made 38 tackles – one for a loss – and recovered a fumble in 18 games for the Packers this season.
Adam Butler (2013-16) // Miami // Butler played his fifth NFL season in 2021 after signing as an undrafted free agent with New England in 2017. Butler played 63 games with the Patriots as a defensive lineman and made 96 tackles and 15 sacks.
Butler made 17 tackles – two for a loss – to go along with two sacks and three defended passes in 17 games with the Dolphins. He was credited with five quarterback hits.
GOT ‘EM! 💪 pic.twitter.com/DRROaWvSj3
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 5, 2021
David Culley (1973-77) // Houston // Culley was head coach of the Houston Texans in 2021-22.
Houston went 4-13 and Culley was let go after the season.
Zach Cunningham (2013-16) // Tennessee // The 57th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Cunningham had made 503 tackles – 22 for a loss – in 62 career games coming into the 2021-22 campaign.
Cunningham made 101 tackles – eight for a loss – in 10 games for the Texans and five games with the Titans this season. He has also defended three passes and forced a fumble.
Casey Hayward (2008-11) // Las Vegas // Hayward has been in the NFL for a decade after being selected 62nd overall by the Green Bay Packers in the 2012 NFL Draft. He had appeared in 129 games with Green Bay, San Diego and Los Angeles, respectively, and recorded 385 tackles coming into 2021.
Hayward made 47 tackles – three for a loss – and defended six passes in 18 games with the Raiders. He also recorded a safety in Week 3 against Miami and an interception in Week 18 against the Chargers.
Casey Hayward on how that safety turned everything around: pic.twitter.com/bQwvxVIeav
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) September 27, 2021
Casey Hayward read it perfectly for the safety 🙏 @show_case29 #RaiderNation
📺: #MIAvsLV on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/UIRfsHC2zZ— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021
Most coverage snaps without allowing a TD this season
🔒 Casey Hayward – 237 pic.twitter.com/54ugRrYJ59
— PFF (@PFF) October 18, 2021
Tre Herndon (2014-17) // Jacksonville // Herndon played his fourth NFL season in 2021 and had played in 43 games, made 144 tackles and grabbed three interceptions prior to the start of the campaign.
Herndon made 17 tackles – one for a loss – in nine games for the Jaguars.
Will Holden (2013-16) // Detroit // A fifth-round draft pick by Arizona in 2017, Holden has played with the Cardinals, Baltimore and Indianapolis, respectively.
The offensive tackle played 14 games this past season for the Lions and started Sept. 26 against Baltimore.
Jordan Matthews (2010-13) // San Francisco // Matthews signed a one-year contract with San Francisco in July. Matthews shifted to tight end after seven years in the league as a wide receiver and has appeared in one game this season.
In his career, Matthews has played in 75 career games. In his first three NFL seasons, with the Philadelphia Eagles, he caught 225 passes for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Andre Mintze (2016-20) // Denver // Mintz signed with Denver in 2021 as an undrafted free agent.
Mintze made four tackles in six games for the Broncos.
Dayo Odeyingbo (2017-20) // Indianapolis // Selected 54th overall by the Colts in the 2021 NFL Draft, Odeyingbo played in 44 games for Vanderbilt as a defensive linemen.
Odeyingbo recorded six tackles, half a sack and forced a fumble in 10 games this season.
Hurricane Dayo makes landfall. 🌀
📺 CBS pic.twitter.com/t1qg7MLjAj
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) November 14, 2021
Jared Pinkney (2015-19) // Detroit // 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. He signed with the Detroit Lions in September and then the Los Angeles Rams in October to be on the practice squad.
Trent Sherfield (2014-17) // San Francisco // Sherfield, who signed with the 49ers in March, enters his fourth season after spending the first three with the Arizona Cardinals. He has 28 career receptions for 340 yards and one career touchdown reception.
Sherfield has made nine receptions for 87 yards and hauled in a touchdown pass in 18 games for the 49ers. He also made a tackle in the 49ers’ playoff win over Green Bay.
6 points for the new guys 🙌@treylance09 x @Channel_10
📺 #SFvsDET on FOX pic.twitter.com/sCTf65lfav
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 12, 2021
Kyle Shurmur (2015-18) // Washington // 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. He signed with Washington on Sept. 13 to be on the team’s practice squad.
Justin Skule (2015-18) // San Francisco // Skule was selected in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the 49ers.
The left tackle has played in 31 career games for the 49ers and is currently on injured reserve.
Ke’Shawn Vaughn (2017-19) // 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. He made five receptions for 34 yards and 31 carries for 130 yards in 11 games during his rookie season.
Vaughn played in 14 games this season and rushed 53 times for 233 yards and made six receptions for 35 yards. Vaughn had three rushing touchdowns.
SNEAK PUNCHES IT IN FOR 6️⃣
📺: #PHIvsTB on FOX pic.twitter.com/F0ODKaojq6
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) January 16, 2022
Ke’Shawn Vaughn making 55 yards look easy 👏 #AnchorDown | https://t.co/EhGawk1ug8 pic.twitter.com/JZj40KmUX0
— Vanderbilt Football (@VandyFootball) December 29, 2021
Stephen Weatherly (2012-15) // Denver // Weatherly is going into his sixth NFL season, the first four of which were in Minnesota. He spent the 2020 campaign with the Carolina Panthers and has played in 62 career games and has 87 career tackles to go along with seven sacks.
Weatherly made 23 tackles – six for a loss – and two sacks in 15 games for first the Minnesota Vikings and then the Broncos this season.
Your punt coverage play of the week goes to Stephen Weatherly. 2nd from the right at the start, watch him the whole way! Pick his angle and burst pic.twitter.com/vyPXiasEYJ
— Luke Braun (@LukeBraunNFL) September 21, 2021
Per @pff grades, these are the best players on the Vikings thru two weeks:
Kirk Cousins = 85.9
Xavier Woods = 81.9
Danielle Hunter = 74.7
Michael Pierce = 74.7
Ezra Cleveland = 74.1
Eri Kendricks = 72.8
Stephen Weatherly = 72.5
Justin Jefferson = 71.1
K.J. Osborn = 70.1— Dustin Baker (@DustBaker) September 20, 2021
Joejuan Williams (2016-18) // New England // Williams was selected as the 45th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Patriots. Williams, a cornerback, had played 24 games and made 23 career tackles coming into 2021.
Williams made 26 tackles, defended five passes and recorded a quarterback hit in 13 games this season for the Patriots.
Commodores in the NFL Draft
Year | Player | NFL Team | Draft Selection |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Dayo Odeyingbo • DL | Indianapolis | 2nd Round, 54th pick |
2020 | Ke'Shawn Vaughn • RB | Tampa Bay | 3rd Round, 76th pick |
2019 | Joejuan Williams • DB | New England | 2nd Round, 24th pick |
Justin Skule • OL | San Francisco | 6th Round, 183rd pick | |
2018 | Oren Burks • LB | Green Bay | 3rd Round, 88th pick |
2017 | Zach Cunningham • LB | Houston | 2nd Round, 57th pick |
Will Holden • OL | Arizona | 5th Round, 157th pick | |
2016 | Stephen Weatherly • LB/DE | Minnesota | 7th Round, 227th pick |
2014 | Jordan Matthews • WR | Philadelphia | 2nd Round, 42nd pick |
Wesley Johnson • OL | Pittsburgh | 5th Round, 173rd pick |
|
Andre Hal • DB | Houston | 7th Round, 216th pick | |
2013 | Zac Stacy • RB | St. Louis | 5th Round, 160th pick |
Ryan Seymour • OL | Seattle | 7th Round, 220th pick | |
2012 | Casey Hayward • DB | Green Bay | 2nd Round, 62nd pick |
Tim Fugger • DE | Indianapolis | 7th Round, 214th pick | |
2010 | Myron Lewis • DB | Tampa Bay | 3rd Round, 67th pick |
Thomas Welch • OL | New England | 7th Round, 208th pick | |
2009 | D.J. Moore • DB | Chicago | 4th Round, 119th pick |
2008 | Chris Williams • OL | Chicago | 1st Round, 14th pick |
Earl Bennett • WR | Chicago | 3rd Round, 70th pick | |
Jonathan Goff • LB | N.Y. Giants | 5th Round, 164th pick | |
2006 | Jay Cutler • QB | Denver | 1st Round, 11th pick |
2005 | Jovan Haye • DL | Carolina | 6th Round, 189th pick |
Justin Geisinger • OL | Buffalo | 6th Round, 197th pick | |
2003 | Hunter Hillenmeyer, • LB | Green Bay | 5th Round, 166th pick |
2001 | Jamie Winborn • LB | San Francisco | 2nd Round, 47th pick |
Matt Stewart • LB | Atlanta | 4th Round, 102nd pick | |
John Markham • PK | N.Y. Giants | 5th Round, 160th pick | |
Jimmy Williams • DB | Buffalo | 6th Round, 196th pick | |
1999 | Fred Vinson • DB | Green Bay | 2nd Round, 47th pick |
1998 | Corey Chavous • DB | Arizona | 2nd Round, 33rd pick |
Jamie Duncan • DB | Tampa Bay | 3rd Round, 84th pick | |
Anthony Jordan • LB | Indianapolis | 5th Round, 135th pick | |
1996 | James Manley • DL | Minnesota | 2nd Round, 45th pick |
1992 | Corey Harris • WR/DB | Houston | 3rd Round, 77th pick |
1990 | DeMond Winston • LB | New Orleans | 4th Round, 98th pick |
John Gromos • QB | Seattle | 12th Round, 312th pick | |
1988 | Chris Gaines • LB | St. Louis | 5th Round, 120th pick |
Carl Parker • WR | Cincinnati | 12th Round, 307th pick | |
1986 | Will Wolford • OL | Buffalo | 1st Round, 20th pick |
Jim Popp • TE | San Francisco | 8th Round, 203rd pick | |
Steve Wade • DL | Indianapolis | 12th Round, 309th pick | |
1985 | Chuck Scott • WR/TE | Los Angeles | 2nd Round, 50th pick |
Rob Monaco • OL | St. Louis | 8th Round, 212th pick | |
Ricky Anderson • K | St. Louis | 11th Round, 298th pick | |
Karl Jordan • LB | Dallas | 12th Round, 324 pick | |
1984 | Leonard Coleman • CB | Baltimore | 1st Round, 8th pick |
Steve Bearden • DL | New Orleans | 3rd Round, Supplemental Draft | |
1983 | Jim Arnold • P | Kansas City | 5th Round, 119th pick |
Allama Matthews • TE | Atlanta | 12th Round, 322nd pick | |
1982 | Ken Hammond • OL | Dallas | 6th Round, 143rd pick |
Van Heflin • TE | Cleveland | 8th Round, 204th pick | |
1980 | Preston Brown • WR | New England | 6th Round, 150th pick |
Frank Mordica • RB | New Orleans | 9th Round, 233rd pick | |
Mike Wright • QB | Cincinnati | 12th Round, 308th pick | |
1979 | Martin Cox • WR | New England | 10th Round, 270th pick |
Ed Smith • LB | Pittsburgh | 12th Round, 322nd pick | |
1978 | Dennis Harrison • DL | Philadelphis | 4th Round, 92nd pick |
1976 | Jay Chesley • DB | San Francisco | 7th Round, 194th pick |
Barry Burton • TE | Pittsburgh | 7th Round, 209th pick | |
Steve Curnette • DB | New York Giants | 17th Round, 471st pick | |
1975 | Gene Moshier • OL | Kansas City | 14th Round, 346th pick |
1974 | Mark Ilgenfritz • DL | Cleveland | 5th Round, 118th pick |
Doug Nettles • DB | Baltimore | 5th Round, 129th pick | |
1973 | Rod Freeman • TE | New York Giants | 7th Round, 172nd pick |
Ken Stone • DB | Washington | 10th Round, 245th pick | |
Dave Leffers • OL | Oakland | 15th Round, 387th pick | |
1971 | Karl Weiss • OL | Chicago | 8th Round, 192nd pick |
1970 | Bob Asher • OL | Dallas | 2nd Round, 27th pick |
Pat Tommay • DL | Dallas | 6th Round, 153rd pick | |
1969 | Chip Healy • LB | St. Louis | 3rd Round, 71st pick |
1968 | Gary Davis • QB | Cincinnati | 3rd Round, 56th pick |
Bob Goodridge • WR | Minnesota | 6th Round, 144th pick | |
1966 | Dick Lemay • OL | Washington | 5th Round, 70th pick |
1965 | Bennett Baldwin • RB | Washington | 15th Round, 202nd pick |
Gary Hart • E | Washington | 17th Round, 230rd pick | |
1963 | Steve Shaw • B | Cleveland | 20th Round, 275 pick |
1961 | Cody Binkley • OL | New York Giants | 15th Round, 207th pick |
1960 | Tim Moore • RB | Green Bay | 1st Round, 5th pick |
1959 | Jimmy Butler • B | St. Louis | 3rd Round, 27th pick |
Tom Redmond • OL | St. Louis | 6th Round, 63rd pick | |
Ben Donnell • OL | Detroit | 7th Round, 77th pick | |
Lew Akin • E | San Francisco | 8th Round, 90th pick | |
George Deiderich • OL | Los Angeles | 23rd Round, 272nd pick | |
Ron Miller • E | Pittsburgh | 25th Round, 295th pick | |
1958 | Phil King • B | New York | 1st Round, 12th pick |
Bob Taylor • E | Baltimore | 6th Round, 69th pick | |
Eric Soesbe • OL | St. Louis | 24th Round, 279th pick | |
1957 | Joe Scales • B | Detroit | 24th Round, 287th pick |
Bob Swann • OL | Pittsburgh | 26th Round, 307th pick | |
1956 | Charley Horton • B | Los Angeles | 1st Round, 11th pick |
Tommy Harkins • E | Philadelphia | 12th Round, 137th pick | |
Joe Stephenson • E | Detroit | 20th Round, 230th pick | |
Don Orr • B | Chicago | 26th Round, 311th pick | |
Billy Krietemeyer • B | Chicago | 29th Round, 346th pick | |
John Battos • E | Cleveland | 29th Round, 349th pick | |
1955 | Herman Watson • OL | Philadelphia | 8th Round, 94th pick |
Charley Horton • B | Washington | 15th Round, 172nd pick | |
Terry Fails • E | Philadelphia | 19th Round, 225th pick | |
1953 | Mick Lakos • B | Los Angeles | 10th Round, 120th pick |
1952 | Bill Wade • QB | Los Angeles | 1st Round, 1st pick |
Ted Kirkland • E | Washington | 24th Round, 283rd pick | |
Bob Werckle • OL/DL | Detroit | 24th Round, 285th pick | |
1951 | Herb Rich • B | Los Angeles | 2nd Round, 24th pick |
Bucky Curtis • E | Cleveland | 2nd Round, 26th pick | |
Ken Cooper • OL | Chicago | 10th Round, 115th pick | |
1950 | Herb Rich • B | Baltimore | 6th Round, 67th pick |
Carl Copp • OL | New York Giants | 26th Round, 332nd pick | |
1949 | Lee Nalley • B | Chicago | 10th Round, 99th pick |
Ken Cooper • OL | Green Bay | 15th Round, 143rd pick | |
Carl Copp • OL | Philadelphia | 15th Round, 151st pick | |
Zealand Thigpen • B | Detroit | 17th Round, 162nd pick | |
1947 | Charley Hoover • OL | Detroit | 4th Round, 24th pick |
Alf Satterfield • OL | Philadelphia | 8th Round, 61st pick | |
Fred Hamilton • OL | Pittsburgh | 21st Round, 189th pick | |
Binks Bushmaier • B | Pittsburgh | 23rd Round, 209th pick | |
1945 | Johnny North • E | Washington | 6th Round, 51st pick |
Bob Cummings • OL | Washington | 31st Round, 320th pick | |
1944 | J.P. Moore • B | Chicago | 12th Round, 117th pick |
1943 | Jack Jenkins • B | Washington | 1st Round, 10th pick |
1942 | Bob Gude • OL | Chicago | 14th Round, 130th pick |
1941 | Ed Hiestand • E | Washington | 20th Round, 190th pick |
1940 | Ray Andrus • B | Green Bay | 16th Round, 149th pick |
1938 | Ed Merlin • OL | Brooklyn | 5th Round, 33rd pick |
Carl Hinkle • OL | Philadelphia | 11th Round, 92nd pick | |
1937 | Dick Plasman • B | Chicago | 3rd Round, 28th pick |