Vanderbilt Football Fall Camp Position Previews: Running Back

Vandy on SI’s projected depth chart: 

Starter: Sedrick Alexander 

Backups: AJ Newberry, Mahkylin Young

Battling: Chase Gillespie, Gabe Fields

What to watch for: 

Alexander proved to be a capable back in 2024, but Vanderbilt’s run game still left plenty to be desired. It will be difficult to get a grasp on how much it has truly improved throughout the fall, but Vanderbilt’s offensive line changes offer some hope that it could be. 

The 2025 offseason has included some dialogue in regards to whether Vanderbilt should have addressed this room more in the transfer portal, but it decided for one reason or another that it was comfortable enough with what it had that it allocated its resources elsewhere. 

Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Tim Beck is betting on a leap from a fully healthy Alexander with complements from Newberry and Young, who both project to have sizeable roles. 

Whether this is the season in which Alexander can really run away with the job and prove that he’s a top half of the league back rather than just a capable starter for an offense that relies heavily on its quarterback will be what truly determines how successful the room will be in 2025. 

Heading into the fall, there’s not much context to go off of in regards to how the carries will be distributed throughout practice or games. Vanderbilt was careful with Alexander at times and didn’t get to see any of Newberry or much of Young and Gillespie throughout the spring due to injuries each of them suffered. Vanderbilt also didn’t see much out of sophomore back Johann Cardenas, who transferred to Minnesota following the spring. 

Vanderbilt also adds summer enrollee Gabe Fields–who possesses gaudy high school numbers and speed–although he’ll likely take a back seat to some of Vanderbilt’s more proven backs. 

The fall will serve as the first real look at Vanderbilt’s running back room.

Can Mahkylin Young take ownership of a role?

Young was active for Vanderbilt’s first few practices of the spring and immediately stood out. The burst was different. The build impressed those around Vanderbilt’s program. 

Now it’s time for Young–who committed to Vanderbilt ahead of the 2024 season as a transfer from New Mexico State–to prove it after drawing rave reviews from former teammates Diego Pavia and Eli Stowers. 

The physical back will have some sort of role, especially if Newberry has to miss time or Vanderbilt opts to use him out wide some–but how many carries he’s given during the season will be determined by his fall camp production. 

Young is the real candidate in the room to push Alexander for his starting role and to make a difference. Perhaps he can serve as the transfer back that many believed Vanderbilt needed to add all along. 

What’s at stake

Pavia was Vanderbilt’s leading rusher by over 200 yards last season, which put a real toll on his body and made Vanderbilt’s offense easier to predict in some senses. As a result, it will need to have more advanced usage out of its backs in order to truly take a step forward as an offense. 

If Alexander, Newberry and Young each become reliable members of the room and Gillespie can be productive while spotting carries, it will allow Vanderbilt to take the next step as a unit.