Vanderbilt Football Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 17 – Sports Illustrated

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NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football is in a new era under head coach Clark Lea as it moves forward after a program-best 10-3 season, but does so while replacing star quarterback Diego Pavia and star tight end Eli Stowers.
Lea and company believe that the program can move forward as winners, though, and the amount of experience they bring back is at the forefront of the reasons why. 
Lea has the 34th most experienced offense in the country, the No. 4 defense in the country, is No. 2 in game experience in the country and No. 12 in returning starts. 
“Just in terms of quality depth, I mean, this is probably the best team we've had,” Lea told Vandy on SI. “Obviously, we have some big gaps to fill, and some of those gaps were our production leaders from a year ago, but I like this team. 
I like where we are.” 
This Vanderbilt team doesn’t appear to have the elite names at the top of the roster that Lea’s 2025 team did, but he believes he’s got a capable group at every level. 
In Vandy on SI’s top 20 players list, all three phases will be represented, as well as every offensive and defensive position group. 
No. 17: Cade McConnell
McConnell is the most consistent returning fixture on Vanderbilt’s offensive line, is embracing a leadership role and looks to repay Vanderbilt’s coaching staff with a season that repays them for the chance they took on him after the 2024 season. He’s paid his dues, now he believes it’s his time. 
“I think an All-Conference player, an All-SEC player, All-American, all those big tag words are at the forefront of my mind as well as winning 17 or 18 games,” McConnell told Vandy on SI. “Obviously being the best in my self standards is the goal.” 
McConnell’s 2025 season was the best of his college career to this point and included him playing 759 snaps while earning a role as a consistent starter on Klenakis’ line. McConnell graded out on PFF with a 52.5 grade overall, a 55.9 in pass protection and a 40.8 in the run game. By the end of it, McConnell was Vanderbilt’s second-highest graded offensive lineman on the season behind standout center Jordan White. 
“Cade has become such an important part of our offensive line,” Lea said. “We feel like that's a unit that has improved, certainly improved light years from what we were in 23–and 24 was a good group. I think 25 really set a new bar. But we think this group we have right now can even elevate that, which those guys from a year ago made that a tough task, but Cade is a guy that experienced a lot of snaps. You see his, the way he plays as a connector, his leadership, but also just his physical presence too. 
And so, we're hopeful for him.”
Why No. 17? 
McConnell was a fixture in year one as a full-time starter and projects to improve in year two, but he’ll have work to do in order to climb the rankings and achieve his goals. McConnell knows he can do it, but he has to be more consistent.
The most important thing McConnell can do is embrace a consistent process and lift the rest of Vanderbilt’s line up while doing so. 
If he does that, he could be a riser.
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Joey Dwyer is the lead writer on Vanderbilt Commodores On SI. He found his first love in college sports at nearby Lipscomb University and decided to make a career of telling its best stories. He got his start doing a Notre Dame basketball podcast from his basement as a 14-year-old during COVID and has since aimed to make that 14-year-old proud. Dwyer has covered Vanderbilt sports for three years and previously worked for 247 Sports and Rivals. He contributes to Seth Davis' Hoops HQ, Basket Under Review and Mainstreet Nashville.
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