There is a new NCAA rule that opens the door for two Vanderbilt football skill players to stay for another season.
About a month ago in late June, the NCAA passed the “Five-in-Five” eligibility rule for college athletics. The rule states that college athletes will have five years eligibility in a five-year window. The window begins after an athlete’s 19th birthday.
The rule can now allow seniors on rosters this season to return for a fifth and final season next year. It certainly presents an advantage to programs that like to build and develop rosters from the ground up. From an experience perspective, it can help build older, experienced rosters that lead to successful results on the field.
At Tuesday’s SEC Football Media Days, Vanderbilt senior running back Sedrick Alexander and senior wide receiver Junior Sherrill were asked their thoughts on the new eligibility rule and whether they have put much thought into whether they will take advantage of it or not.
“Ultimately, I’m not really focusing on that. I’m just focused on this season and I’ll come back to it when it is time,” Sherrill told reporters in Tampa during Vanderbilt’s turn to talk to the media.
Alexander took the same tone that Sherrill did when he was asked about the new rule, not putting any thought to it yet.
“I think it’s going to be a good thing for college athletes. I haven’t really sat there and thought about it. But I definitely think it’s a good thing for college athletes and I think they’re going to take advantage of that,” Alexander said.
It is no surprise at all that Alexander and Sherrill gave the answers they did regarding the new eligibility rule. After all, there is still a full 2026 season yet to be played.
Sherrill and Alexander both have big expectations for themselves going into this season. The two are expected to be prominent playmakers yet again for Vanderbilt’s offense, just with a different quarterback.
Alexander could have gone to the NFL Draft earlier this offseason, but he decided to come back to Vanderbilt for his senior season. It was a decision that Alexander told Vandy On SI that had a few factors involved. Alexander wants to not just lead the Commodores to another level this fall, but the ability to complete his degree helped him decide to come back for another season.
“I think that here at Vandy, I have unfinished business. I think that getting my degree this past spring was a big factor, and just me not wanting to make that step yet, and just wanted to stay with the team,” Alexander told Vandy On SI on what ultimately led him to staying in college. “I believe in Coach Lea and the things that he’s doing. I have one more year of eligibility. I felt like this gave me a better chance to get drafted, so I decided off of that too. And I just think that this is the year.”
Sherrill has goals for himself as well. Of course he wants to help Vanderbilt get to the playoffs this fall, but he also wants to be an All-SEC receiver.
“I want to be the most dynamic person with the ball in my hands in the country,” Sherrill told Vandy on SIearlier in the summer. “I feel like I’m gonna be an all-conference player this year.”
If the two decided to return for a fifth season, it would certainly give the 2027 offense an unexpected boost. However, that is a story for another time. For now, Sherrill and Alexander are both going to focus on how they can uplift their program to improve on last season’s 10-3 record.
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