Exclusive: Clark Lea Names Who He Thinks Can be All-SEC Offense on Vanderbilt Football – Sports Illustrated

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Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea has never been shy about giving his players the recognition and attention he feels that they deserve, much like his approach to make his program’s goals publicly known.
Though they may not get talked about as often as other playmakers from the SEC giants, the Commodores boasted an offense that was No. 9 in college football in total offense and No. 8 in the country in scoring offense during the 2025 season.
While the offense was run by key pieces quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt found plenty of offensive production from other skill position guys on offense. The quarterback will be different in 2026, but the Commodores return running backs Sedrick Alexander and MK Young, wide receiver Junior Sherrill and tight end Cole Spence.
Lea believes all his returning players are set up for big seasons. So much so that he thinks his playmakers could be on watchlists for preseason All-SEC Offense.
“That conversation starts with a few guys that have been with us for a long time. Sedrick Alexander, heading into his fourth year, he’s fourth among returning SEC players in career rushing touchdowns. He’s third among returning SEC running backs in career scrimmage yards and total touchdowns,” Lea told Vandy On SI. “So, this is a guy that has statistically proven that he’s among the best in our league and we expect that to continue to improve.”
Sherrill, who was second on Vanderbilt in receiving yards and receptions in 2025, is entering this fall as the clear number one receiving target. Per the analytics that Lea shared with Vandy On SI, Sherrill is tied for fifth among returning SEC players in career receiving touchdowns, eighth in career receiving yards and one of 11 returning SEC receivers with at least 700 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 2025.
A lot of Vanderbilt's success on offense will be reliant on how big of a step Sherrill takes in 2026. If he shows on the field that he has taken the next step in his game, it gives Vanderbilt a good chance to be dangerous offensively again.
But another playmaker that Lea feels could have an All-SEC season is tight end Cole Spence. Spence was overshadowed by Stowers in the passing game the past two seasons, but now slides into the top tight end role this season. Lea recalled the five catches for 56 yards and a touchdown he had against No. 10 LSU last October and believes Spence will have more of those performances in the fall.
“Here’s a guy that’s played a lot of football for us. He’s been a part of our foundation in terms of the locker room culture and how we operate. He’s really kind of quietly built a productive career and I think we’ll take that center stage this fall,” Lea said.
Up front on the offensive line, Vanderbilt lost three critical pieces, but tried to fill in those holes through the transfer portal. But the one consistency the team has rolling over into 2026 is offensive lineman Cade McConnell.
McConnell is a culture guy for Vanderbilt and someone that played 759 snaps for Vanderbilt in 2025 and was second-best graded offensive lineman on the roster last season, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).
“Cade’s become such an important part of the offensive line. Cade is a guy that has played a lot of snaps. You see the way he plays as a connector, his leadership, but also just his physical presence, too. So, we’re hopeful for him as well,” Lea said.
Vanderbilt feels like it has the pieces on offense that they need to be successful, it is just a matter of putting everything together and inserting the quarterback that feels right into the starting role.
Will that amount to Vanderbilt’s playmakers producing numbers worthy of All-SEC recognition this season? That is a question that will be answered throughout the fall.
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Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.
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