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As Derek Mason continues to try to remake Vanderbilt in his image (it’s hard to say re-build because prior to Mason’s arrival the Commodores were coming off back-to-back 9-win seasons), recruiting is paramount.
You saw some progress on the field in 2015 with young players this staff has recruited and for the 2016 cycle there are some promising athletes and guys that can continue to contribute to the makeover.
Current rank: No. 13 SEC, No. 56 national (247Sports Composite rankings)
Top commit: Joejuan Williams, CB, Hendersonville (Tenn.). Vanderbilt has done well really for the majority of this decade landing local talent from a growing Nashville metro area in terms of population and subsequently, football talent. Williams is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound boundary cornerback type with excellent footwork, ball skills and a physical presence. Williams is scheduled to enroll early and should be able to impact the Commodores defense, which was vastly improved and quite good at times this past season, in 2016.
Sleeper: Devin Cochran, OT, Norcross (Ga.) Greater Atlanta Christian. Cochran is listed at 6-foot-7, 305-pounds, can move his feet and plays for one of the top high school programs in the Peach State. All of those things add up to a low bust factor for the three-star offensive tackle and that’s excellent at a position (offensive line) where most coaches believe if you sign five and hit on three, that’s a good year.
Quick take: Mason and his staff have done a good job casting a wide net (which you need to do at Vanderbilt) as they have 16 current commits from 10 different states. This group as a whole may not register very high in terms of national rankings, but it’s one that can help continue to build in Nashville.
Recruiting writer for Saturday Down South
