Vanderbilt LB shares rejection text he got from Auburn after win over Tigers

Vanderbilt linebacker Bryan Longwell has not forgotten the rejection text he got from Auburn back during his recruitment process. And it didn’t help that it came on Christmas, either.

Shortly after the Commodores’ 17-7 win over Auburn on Saturday, he posted a screenshot of the message to X.

“Bryan I’m sorry buddy we’re not going to sign a HS LB in this class more than likely,” it read. “You’re a great player with a bright future! Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas!”

It’s safe to say he has ended up with the right program as Auburn continues to have a subpar season at the same time Vanderbilt has risen to relevancy for the first time in several years. The Commodores look like a legitimate SEC contender under head coach Clark Lea, currently boasting a 6-3 overall record.

Merry Christmas!! pic.twitter.com/wiIong5UbB

— Bryan Longwell (@bryan_longwell2) November 2, 2024

Their most pivotal and notable win of the season came in the form of the 40-35 win over Alabama, which was ranked as the top team in the nation at that time. Some questioned if the victory was a fluke or if it could be a sign of something more, but the team put any doubts to rest when they followed it up with a 20-13 win over the Kentucky Wildcats.

And really, it’s something of a shame that the team dropped out of the top 25 just weeks later because of a three-point loss to Texas, also formerly ranked as the best team in college football.

Vanderbilt will have the opportunity to continue proving itself when the Commodores face the South Carolina Gamecocks on Nov. 9.

Crissy Froyd

Crissy covers SEC football news for Saturday Down South.