The transfer portal officially opened on the morning of Dec. 9, and with it comes a chance for Vanderbilt Football to make another jump to the next level of college football: SEC championship contention.
On National Signing Day, Vanderbilt officially inked the commitment of 13 athletes, the lowest of head coach Clark Lea’s tenure and the lowest in the SEC. Lea stated in his press conference that he intentionally kept the 2026 signing class small, indicating his plan to use the transfer portal to fill holes in the roster.
This season’s success likely caused some expansion in the money that Anchor Impact — Vanderbilt’s NIL fund — has to use, and our staff expects the Commodores to be extremely active in the portal. Anchor Impact’s executive director Paul Grindstaff, along with Lea and athletic director Candice Storey Lee, have to be prepared to cash out to bring talent to West End.
As Lea evaluates players currently in the portal, he must consider both fit and talent. He’ll need to bring in players that work well within his defensive scheme and offensive coordinator Tim Beck’s offensive scheme. Vanderbilt will likely look at a blend of standout players from Group of Five teams and underachieving players from Power Four teams. The Commodores will have money to spend but a lot of holes to fill, needing both starters and depth.
Here are a few players who have already entered the portal and would fill positions of need spotted by The Hustler.
Quarterback: Kaidon Salter (Liberty)
Other Targets: Zach Pyron (Georgia Tech), Matthew Sluka (UNLV), Justin Lamson (Stanford)
With Diego Pavia’s future in college football depending on a lawsuit against the NCAA and Nate Johnson hitting the transfer portal, Vanderbilt has to bring in a quarterback. The Commodores will likely run it back with Pavia if he wins his lawsuit. If he doesn’t the best option is Liberty playcaller Kaidon Salter. The Conference USA Most Valuable Player in 2023, Salter would be a dual threat and slot perfectly into Beck’s system.
Salter brings a level of experience that any team could benefit from, accounting for 4,762 passing yards, 1,676 rushing yards and 66 touchdowns over the past two seasons for the Flames. Pavia’s experience was key for Vanderbilt early this season, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Black and Gold opt for another savvy vet at quarterback. Salter — who had a down year relative to his expectations — has undeniable upside, and a scheme like Vanderbilt’s may revitalize him. He also has a cannon of an arm and athleticism on the ground to match it.
Pyron was a Vanderbilt recruit many years ago and comes from a Georgia Tech offensive scheme similar to Beck’s. Sluka and Lamson would be excellent additions, too, though neither played much in 2024 after Sluka announced he would be redshirting and entering the portal back in September.
Outside of Salter, many other transfer portal-bound quarterbacks either lack experience or will opt to be fish in bigger ponds than Vanderbilt. Salter is likely right in Vanderbilt’s price range and would be a great one-year rental for the Commodores.
Wide Receiver – CJ Daniels (LSU)
Other Targets: Kevin Concepcion (NC State), Omari Kelly (MTSU), Donaven McCulley (Indiana)
If Salter will be Vanderbilt’s quarterback, why not bring in one of his favorite targets? CJ Daniels, a 6’2, 205 lb. wideout, brought in 1,067 yards and 10 touchdowns at Liberty in 2023 before he transferred to LSU. Similar to Salter, Daniels’ numbers also took a dip this season. Daniels only hauled in 480 receiving yards in 11 games as a starter for the Tigers and failed to show the same explosive talent that made him a priority target for LSU in the first place. Much of that could be due to his place on the depth chart behind soon-to-be NFL wide receiver Kyren Lacy. A reunion with his former quarterback might revive the receiver’s numbers to 2023 standards, but Daniels would still be an excellent fit for the Commodores, regardless of Salter’s decision. He’s a true outside receiver with surefire hands, speed and contested catch ability — a welcome addition to West End.
Other additions to the receiver room could include Kevin Concepcion, Omari Kelly and Donaven McCulley. Concepcion has been a standout in his first two collegiate years with NC State, hauling in over 1,300 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Kelly makes sense, too, as he spent 2024 with the MTSU Blue Raiders right in Nashville after transferring from Auburn. Vanderbilt would give him a chance to move upward without having to uproot his current life. McCulley also had a down year with the Hoosiers but has shown flashes in the past (48 catches for 644 yards and 6 scores in 2023) and was a former 4-star recruit. He checks in at 6’5 and has the frame to make an impact in the SEC.
Between the production that Vanderbilt will lose to graduation and a young core (three of the 13 incoming recruits are wide receivers), the Commodores need to secure a wideout or two that can come in and make an immediate impact. Junior Sherrill, Vanderbilt’s best receiver left on the roster, is a slot man at heart, meaning Vanderbilt also has to get a target that can play heavily on the outside.
Edge Rusher – Tamatoa McDonough (Yale)
Other Targets: Keanu Koht (Alabama), Ronald Triplette (UTSA), Vontroy Malone (Tulsa)
As mentioned in The Hustler’s recent mailbag, Vanderbilt’s pass rush at the end of the season was nonexistent. Plagued with injuries and inconsistency, the defense was unable to generate any penetration or pressure in the backfield. On the edge, Vanderbilt needs a high-level talent but also needs depth.
Tamatoa McDonough, the 2024 Ivy League sack leader, could be a risk worth taking for the Commodores. At 6’5 and 255 lbs, McDonough has the frame of an SEC EDGE, showing textbook finesse and speed as a standing rusher. This transfer addition would make sense academically while adding another piece to the defensive line that can work exclusively in passing situations to generate pressure. Even though McDonough wouldn’t be a certified star out of the portal, his addition alongside others could help flesh out a more versatile and potent defensive line for Vanderbilt.
Keanu Koht would represent another portal victory for Vanderbilt. He’s been on the Commodores’ radar since before the portal period officially opened, according to On3 Sports, and has two years of eligibility remaining. His playing time at Alabama was sparse, but he was a sought-after high school recruit and would be an excellent infusion of athleticism to Lea’s 2025 roster. Ronald Triplette (4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles) and Vontroy Malone (2 sacks, 1 forced fumble) are on our radar as well. Both come from Group of Five schools and might fly under other SEC programs’ radars, but they also have the frames to make the jump to the next level. They could represent cheaper options as Vanderbilt looks to fill out starters and depth at a position of need.
There’s no shortage of players in the portal — and no shortage of support for Vanderbilt Football right now — meaning that the next few weeks should be exciting, to say the least. Expect Vanderbilt to play a big role in the soap opera that is the NCAA transfer portal this December.
