NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers has been named a finalist for the John Mackey Award given to the best tight end in the nation. It’s one of four national awards the Commodore has been announced as a candidate for this fall.
The Denton, Texas, native is also a finalist for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy® and is a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award. He was the only tight end in the country to be named one of 13 semifinalists for the 2025 Lombardi Award™ as well.
Entering Vandy’s regular season finale, Stowers leads the team with 57 catches for 705 yards and has recorded four touchdown receptions. He had 100-yard performances in each of the Dores’ first two games of November, first posting career highs with 146 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches at No. 20/19 Texas—earning John Mackey Award Tight End of the Week honors for the effort—before finishing with a career-best 12 receptions for 122 yards in an overtime victory over Auburn the following week.
It was the first time since at least 1996 that a Commodore tight end has both recorded a double-digit catch total as well as back-to-back 100-yard games.
Stowers leads all tight ends nationally in receiving yards and is one reception shy of pacing all players in the country at the position in that category also. His 1,705 career receiving yards are third among all active tight ends despite playing the position for just two-and-a-half years.
No. 12/12 Vanderbilt travels to take on No. 18/18 Tennessee in the final outing of the regular season, kickoff on ESPN is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.
