How Eli Stowers Evaluates His 2025 Season

A good came for Stowers in Vanderbilt’s Saturday loss as he went for 146 yards on seven receptions and made a 67-yard touchdown reception that accounted for one of his two trips to the end zone. The lows have included a three-reception, 22 yard performance against Alabama as well as a four-reception, 29 yard performance against Virginia Tech early in the season. 

Relative to the three games last season in which he went over 100 receiving yards, Stowers has just one this season. For Stowers–a near certain NFL Draft pick this spring–that stat could cost him some money down the stretch. He appears to be focused solely on what his life looks like nowadays and what he can do to propel this Vanderbilt team to wins. 

Since the day Stowers met the local media for the first time after he announced his return, he’s been blunt about the idea that he needed to improve his blocking ability in order to raise his stock. He knew his receiving numbers were good enough to allow his name to be called, but he knew he needed to demonstrate that he’d learned his new position if he was going to appeal to teams. 

He believes he’s done that adequately. 

“That’s one of the things that I've tried to get better at this year,” Stowers said. 
“It’s just in the blocking game, the things that don't show up on the stat sheet. This position is still pretty new to me, there's a whole lot of technique, especially in the blocking game that I'm trying to learn. 
And a lot of it is effort as well. Just finish into the whistle. And so, I think I just am trying to focus on that every single snap.” 

As much as it’s been a test of selflessness and process, it’s been a season for Stowers to put good receiving film on tape like he did in Vanderbilt’s Saturday loss to Texas.

The narrative that Stowers has been a step below his 2024 production appears to be slowly fading. Stowers is even with his 2024 production at this time last year with 38 receptions, has 538 receiving yards relative to the 516 he had at this point in the 2024 season and has the same amount of touchdowns as he did a year ago.

Perhaps his stock has quietly risen. 

“We know what he can do with the ball in his hands, we know about his catch radius radius, we know his athleticism,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said, “But he's really built out kind of a complete package as far as his tight end play.”

Lea says he agrees with Stowers’ assessment that he’s become a more complete player since this time last season and says he’s “proud” of the improvements that Stowers has made. 

The attention that Stowers thought he could receive from opposing defenses as a result of his increased stature has come and he appears to be rising above it. As a result, he appears to be ready to make the jump to the NFL when the time comes. He talks like a pro these days, he’s built like one and he has the blessing of his head coach. 

“He’s gonna be a pro for a reason,” Lea said. “He has a huge impact on our team.”