The Vanderbilt Commodores are coming back stacked for the 2025 season after a 2024 campaign that saw them go 7-6 with a win in the Birmingham Bowl (their record also included a win over then-No. 1 Alabama).
Senior quarterback Diego Pavia will be back in 2025 thanks to a ruling by the NCAA that has allowed former JUCO players to earn an extra season of eligibility.
It’s now being reported by Pete Thamel of ESPN that star tight end Eli Stowers will be coming back for 2025 after a time of considering declaring for the NFL Draft.
Stowers was Vanderbilt’s leading receiver this season after he caught 49 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns — averaging 13 yards per catch. He gained the trust of Pavia throughout the course of the season but also earned All-SEC first-team honors for his production.
Stowers was projected as a mid-rounder in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft but he told Thamel he wanted to stick with Vandy because “we’re building something special.”
He also wants to “be a part of a Vandy team that can change the culture and reputation of the program and make more history for years to come.”
Stowers started his college career as a quarterback at Texas A&M for two seasons. He transitioned to tight end at New Mexico State in 2023 and transferred to Vandy for the 2024 season.
Notably, he was ranked as the No. 12 quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class, according to 247Sports.
