Defensive end Dare Odeyingbo and safety LaDarius Wiley have signed undrafted free agent deals with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans, respectively.
Odeyingbo, and Wiley join quarterback Kyle Shurmur and running back Khari Blasingame as Commodore standouts to be ink NFL rookie free agent deals. Shurmur signed with the Kansas City Chiefs last week while Blasingame signed with the Minnesota Vikings one day after the NFL Draft concluded in Nashville.
In other NFL news involving Commodores, offensive lineman Bruno Reagan, linebacker Josh Smith and defensive end Louis Vecchio attended minicamp tryouts last week trying to secure a spot on NFL 90-man rosters. Reagan was at the Los Angeles Chargers’ minicamp. Smith attended the Titans minicamp. Vecchio participated in the Philadelphia Eagles’ minicamp.
Here’s an updated list (through May 13) of Vanderbilt standouts who have signed undrafted rookie free agent deals:
• LaDarius Wiley (safety), Tennessee Titans
• Dare Odeyingbo (defensive end/linebacker), Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• Kyle Shurmur (quarterback), Kansas City Chiefs
• Khari Blasingame (running back), Minnesota Vikings
Odeyingbo, Wiley, Shurmur and Blasingame join two more Commodores, cornerback Joejuan Williams and Justin Skule, looking to continue their playing career. Williams and Skule both heard heard their names announced at the NFL Draft, held April 25-27 in downtown Nashville. Williams went to New England in the second round as the 45th overall pick while Skule, was selected by San Francisco in the sixth round.
Odeyingbo, from Irving, Texas, contributed 28 tackles (15 solo) as a senior in 2018. For his career, Odeyingbo registered 71 tackles (35 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 quarterback sacks, an interception and forced fumble in 46 appearances. He earned 24 starting assignments.Odeyingbo, who completed a degree in medicine, health and society last December, is the older brother of Dayo Odeyingbo, a rising junior defensive end for the Commodores.Wiley, from Los Angeles, posted 83 totals (44 solo) and three defensed passes as a senior. In his career that included 32 starts, he amassed 255 tackles, seven forced fumbles and an interception. Wiley majored in medicine, health and society and is working toward a master’s of education from the Peabody College.Shurmur, a two-time offensive captain from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owns virtually every Vanderbilt passing record. A 43-game starter, Shurmur holds career marks of 64 touchdown passes, 8,865 passing yards and 722 completions. He also owns several single-season marks, including 26 touchdown passes in 2017. While guiding the Commodores to the Academy Sports + Outdoors Texas Bowl as a senior, Shurmur was sensational, completing 62.6% of his passes for 3,130 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Shurmur completed his undergraduate degree in economics last December. A 2018 National Football Foundation Campbell Award semifinalist, Shurmur also was a four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient.Shurmur is the son of New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur. His father coached under current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid for nearly a decade with the Philadelphia Eagles.Blasingame played in the shadows of two of the best running backs in Vanderbilt history, 2017 graduate Ralph Webb and current senior Ke’Shawn Vaughn. In 38 career appearances in the offensive backfield, Blasingame amassed 997 yards and 15 touchdowns as a powerful inside-the-tackle rusher. A three-time captain, Blasingame also was one of the Commodores’ top special-team performers through his career.After the season, Blasingame was one of the most impressive Commodores at Vanderbilt Pro Day, posting superb efforts in the vertical jump, broad jump and 40-yard dash.Blasingame graduated in May 2018 with a degree in medicine, health and society and is currently working on a Master’s of Education from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College. A four-time SEC Academic Honor Roll recipient and Vanderbilt’s nominee for the SEC’s H. Boyd McWhorter Award, Blasingame was selected as the 2018 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Athlete of the Year in March.
Reagan, a native of Clarksville, Tennessee, started 40 consecutive games on the Vanderbilt offensive front. Playing center and both guard positions, Reagan helped protect Shurmur and opened holes for two of the greatest backs in team history, Ralph Webb and Ke’Shawn Vaughn.Reagan has played virtually every important offensive snap for the Commodores since the 2016 opener. As a senior, he produced 14 pancake blocks and 26 domination blocks and helped Vaughn become the team’s sixth 1,000-yard rusher. Behind Reagan and his line mates, the 2018 Vanderbilt offense averaged 411.2 total yards, the highest single-season total by a Vanderbilt unit since the mid-1970s.Vecchio played in 12 games at defensive end in his only year with the Commodores. A standout at Penn prior to coming to Vanderbilt, he finished the season with 24 tackles (14 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks and an interception.Several recent Vanderbilt graduates have secured NFL playing roles as undrafted free agents, including defensive lineman Adam Butler (New England), defensive back Tre Herndon (Jacksonville), defensive back Kenny Ladler (Washington), offensive lineman Spencer Pulley (New York Giants) and wide receiver Trent Sherfield (Arizona).
