Eli Stowers Gets Another Prestigious Recognition

Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers has gained yet another notable preseason recognition ahead of the 2025-2026 college football season.

Stowers has been named to ESPN’s first-team preseason All-America team while also making the watch list for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the player who best embodies the discipline and character that legendary football coach Vince Lombardi exuded in his career.

The latest preseason watchlist recognition adds to a long list of preseason mentions Stowers has gotten. He has also been named to the following: first-team All-America by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, The Sporting News, Athlon and Phil Steele this summer, and made it on watch lists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Biletnikoff Award and the John Mackey Award as well.

Stowers is one of three tight ends to make the Lombardi Award Watch List of the 54 players who were named to the list. 

Stowers was Vanderbilt’s leading pass catcher last season, totaling 49 receptions for 638 yards and five touchdowns. He had three games where he put up over 100 receiving yards, including six catches for 113 yards in an upset victory against No. 1 Alabama and a season-high of 130 yards and a touchdown in a win against Ball State.

A native of Denton, Texas, Stowers has plenty of NFL potential. Projected as a mid-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, he decided to come back to Nashville for one final season and improve not only his draft stock, but help the Commodores take the next step during head coach Clark Lea’s tenure.

Coming off its first winning season since 2013, the Commodores went 7-6 and won the Birmingham Bowl over Georgia Tech. Stowers has high hopes of improving his numbers this fall and will look to help lead the Commodores to a better record.

Stowers has also gotten praise from analysts on SEC Network, specifically Benjamin Watson, who called Stowers “the most dynamic tight end in the country.”

Ten players from the SEC, including Stowers, made ESPN’s first-team All-America team. Here are the other nine who made it on first-team All-America.

Ryan Williams - Alabama

Jake Slaughter - Florida

Ar’Maj Reed-Adams - Texas A&M

Kadyn Proctor - Alabama

Dylan Stewart - South Carolina

LT Overton - Alabama

Anthony Hill - Texas

Jermod McCoy - Tennessee

Brett Thorson - Georgia

Vanderbilt will start its 2025-2026 season in 18 days. The Commodores will take Charleston Southern on Aug. 30 at FirstBank Stadium at 6 p.m. CT.

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