Vanderbilt Football Fall Camp Position Preview: Offensive Line

Vandy on SI’s projected depth chart: 

Starters: 

Quick tackle: Isaia Glass

Quick guard: Sterling Porcher

Center: Jordan White

Strong guard: Chase Mitchell

Strong tackle: Bryce Henderson

Non-starters:

Tackles in contention: Mitchell, Orion Irving, Porcher, Clinton Azubuike

Guards in contention: Cade McConnell, Kevo Wesley, Gunnar Givens, Misael Sandoval

Centers in contention: McConnell

Tackles likely to be reserves: Charlie Clark, CJ Williams, David Siegel

Guards likely to be reserves: Gage Pitchford, Cooper Starks

Centers likely to be reserves: Keegan Wechsler

What to watch for: 

Vanderbilt invested heavily in its offensive line this offseason and appears to believe that the unit will be significantly improved after a season in which it had a few flashes in the pan, but still had a few steps in its build left to go. 

As a result, just one of Vanderbilt’s four projected starters on the offensive line is a returner. That returner is Mitchell–who played tackle last season, but could play offensive guard in 2025. 

Vanderbilt made a few splashes in the portal by landing White, Glass and Henderson–who appear to be no-doubt starters–heading into the fall. White will likely run the show for it and has been spoken about by evaluators as Vanderbilt’s best overall offensive lineman and perhaps a future NFL player if things break right for him this season. The size jumps out in regards to Glass and Henderson, who both joined Vanderbilt in the spring and appear to have a different level of mobility and physicality than most players at their positions throughout Clark Lea’s tenure. 

Vanderbilt does appear to have a battle of sorts at quick guard. Porcher–a transfer from MTSU and Texas Tech–can play both inside and outside, but will likely play inside as a result of Vanderbilt’s roster configuration. He’s perhaps Vanderbilt’s best option at tackle if Glass or Henderson go down, though. He doesn’t appear to be quite as physically imposing as those two, but he’s mobile and agile. 

If it’s not Porcher there, it will likely be McConnell starting on the inside. The Bussin’ with the Boys intern was a mainstay there throughout the spring while Porcher wasn’t yet suited up. 

Lea and Vanderbilt offensive line coach Chris Klenakis will likely do plenty of mixing and matching throughout the fall, but at some point it will get down to business and they’ll likely work to get plenty of continuity with the first group as camp wears on. 

Whatever happens, Vanderbilt knows it has to get better on the offensive line and seems to think it will be. 

Summer of Sandoval?

Sandoval seemed to be trending upwards as the fall went on in 2024, but never found a real role–or appeared to be particularly close to taking hold of one–as the season began. 

The 6-foot-6, 337 pound California native has all the physical gifts and looks the part to an inexperienced evaluator, but he’s still got plenty of developing to do. 

If he breaks out this fall against Vanderbilt’s second and third team defensive lineman, it would give Vanderbilt another real option throughout a schedule that promises to be grueling. 

What’s at stake? 

The real story of the fall won’t be visible until game action begins. Vanderbilt has to have some sense of continuity within a starting group that is likely to be made up of mostly newcomers. 

Vanderbilt will also look to develop a level of depth within the room throughout the fall. It likely knows what it has with Wesley, Clark and a few of its other multi-year returners, but there are some leaps to be taken from guys like Sandoval, Williams and McConnell that could benefit Vanderbilt if all goes to plan. 

It likely won’t be the most scrutinized position on the roster throughout the fall, but Vanderbilt’s offensive line is among its most important groups as it heads into its multi-week camp.