Vanderbilt Bolsters 2020 Signing Class

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt football program expanded its 2020 signing class Wednesday, announcing the addition of five student-athletes who will continue their academic and athletic careers on West End.

The newcomers include quarterback Danny Clark from Akron, Ohio, safety Donovan Kaufman from New Orleans, wide receiver Will Sheppard from Mandeville, Louisiana, defensive lineman Raashaan Wilkins from Chicago and defensive lineman Alex Williams, also from Akron.

The five February signees will join 15 prospects in the Vanderbilt class of 2020 who inked in December.

Clark is a former four-star signal caller who guided Archbishop Hoban High School to a pair of Ohio Division III state titles. In 2019, the southpaw Clark passed for 2,166 yards and 18 touchdowns at Copiah-Lincoln College in Mississippi. He averaged 240.7 passing yards in nine games last season.

Kaufman joins the Commodores as one of Louisiana’s most decorated prep seniors. A four-star prospect listed among 247Sports’ top 500 players nationally, Kaufman is regarded among America’s top senior safeties. He was sensational in 2019, leading Archbishop Rummel to the Louisiana Division state championship. In the title game, Kaufman posted 11 tackles, returned a kickoff for a score, rushed for another touchdown and sealed the game with an interception.

Sheppard amassed 2,252 yards and 33 touchdowns on 126 receptions during his Louisiana prep career. A three-sport standout, Sheppard had 1,276 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior at Mandeville.

In 2019, Wilkins helped Monterey Peninsula (California) to a 10-1 record, including a postseason bowl victory. An interior lineman, Wilkins was part of a Monterey Peninsula defense that produced a conference-high 48 quarterback sacks. Originally from the Windy City, Wilkins was a two-way starter at Mt. Carmel High School.

Williams, a consensus three-star prospect out of Pickerington North High School in Ohio, comes to West End from Ohio State. In 2019, Williams posted eight tackles for a Buckeye squad that advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals. As a prep senior, Williams helped Pickerington North to a 10-3 record and Ohio Division II state playoff appearance.

Vanderbilt’s 2020 class now features incoming student-athletes from 10 states that fill 10 different positions across the roster. The class includes 12 offensive players, nine defensive players and one special teams member. The class features four quarterbacks, four offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, two linebackers and two wide receivers.