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Vanderbilt Named Finalist for 2026 OT Mitchell Smith
Sep 3, 2022; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; View of a Vanderbilt Commodores helmet before the game against the Elon Phoenix at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Vanderbilt Named Finalist for 2026 OT Mitchell Smith

Originally posted on Vanderbilt Commodores on SI
By Mason Woods  |  Last updated May 28, 2025 1:16 PM ET

Things have been trending upward for the Clark Lea and his staff on the recruiting trail throughout the spring and early summer. Just this month alone, Vanderbilt added two commitments to the 2026 class, and was named as a finalist for another.

This week, the Commodores were once again named among the top schools for a talented prospect as 3-Star offensive tackle Mitchell Smith took to social media on Wednesday to make his announcement.

Smith wrote in his post, "All glory to God for waking me up everyday and giving me the drive and motivation to pursue my dreams. It's down to my top eight." He named Vanderbilt among Alabama, Florida State, Auburn, LSU, Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Clemson.

According to Sam Spiegelman of Rivals, he will take an official visit to Nashville on May 30th.

Standing at 6-foot-6, 320 lbs., Smith already has the frame to play tackle with a year left of high school football still. He is ranked by 247Sports' composite ranking as the No. 62 offensive tackle in the nation and the No. 25 player in the state of Mississippi.

Last season, as a junior, he helped guide the Picayune Memorial Maroon Tide to an 11-3 record and a berth in the state title game.

As of now, Vanderbilt holds eight commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, but is expected to welcome several other official visitors outside of Smith this summer. While it has gotten off to a slightly slower start than other programs around the SEC, Lea and the staff look to still be in good position.

Official Visitors for May 30 -June 2

  • 4-Star CB Caden Harris - Committed to Vanderbilt on 04/29/2025
  • 3-Star DL Cameron McHaney
  • 3-Star CB Victor Lincoln - Committed to Oklahoma State on 04/28/2025
  • 3-Star OT Mitchell Smith - Named Vanderbilt as a finalist on 05/28/2025

Check out the Vanderbilt football official visitor tracker for the full list of summertime visitors.

2026 Commitments

  1. ATH Daniel Vollmer, 6-foot-2, 210 lbs. - Cincinnati, Ohio (Committed 02/05/2025)
  2. QB Michael Mitchell, Jr., 5-foot-11, 185 lbs. - San Francisco, California (Committed 09/21/2024)
  3. EDGE Joey Quinn, 6-foot-5, 260 lbs. - Chicago, Illinois (Committed 03/26/2025)
  4. S Karaijus Haynes, 5-foot-11, 170 lbs. - Sarasota, Florida (Committed 04/14/2025)
  5. IOL George Haseotes, 6-foot-3, 295 lbs. - Naples, Florida (Committed 04/28/2025)
  6. CB Caden Harris, 6-foot, 190 lbs. - Brownsville, Florida (Committed 04/29/2025)
  7. WR Kahden Smith, 6-foot-2, 185 lbs. - Tuscaloosa, Alabama (Committed 05/08/2025)
  8. DL Daryl Campbell, 6-foot-2, 300 lbs. - Katy, Texas (Committed 05/10/2025)

Check out the Vanderbilt football recruiting tracker to stay up to date with the 2026 recruiting class and beyond.

See Also...


This article first appeared on Vanderbilt Commodores on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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