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While they didn't quite compete at the very top of the SEC or make a push toward the College Football Playoff last season, Vanderbilt football was still one of the biggest surprises in the sport. Clark Lea and company vaulted themselves right into bowl contention and cemented themselves as a very tough out with an incredible win over Alabama.
Quarterback Diego Pavia became the face of Vanderbilt football last season, both due to his guts on the field and his NIL rumblings off of it. However, there's an argument to be made that he might not have been the best player on the team.
That honor may very well belong to Martel Hight, a cornerback and return man who was named Second Team All-SEC as a return specialist as a sophomore in 2024. Hight didn't get to show off his explosiveness on the offensive side last season, but that could change. He is going to start taking some snaps at wide receiver in addition to his roles on defense and special teams, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
“Vanderbilt All-SEC returner/starting CB Martel Hight will play wide receiver for the Commodores this fall, coach Clark Lea told ESPN,” Thamel reported on X, formerly Twitter. “He took snaps there this spring, and Lea is going to expand on Hight’s expanded role today at SEC Media Days.”
Hight started all 13 games for the Commodores on defense last season, making 33 tackles and racking up four pass breakups and two interceptions to go with a forced fumble. If he can improve on those numbers in his junior season, Hight has a chance to be an All-SEC performer on the defensive side of the ball in addition to his excellence as a returner.
Hight just returned punts last season, but he excelled at flipping the field for Vanderbilt whenever he got an opportunity to. He racked up 265 yards on 18 returns last season, taking one of them back to the house for a touchdown.
It's clear that Hight is a very talented player, and now he will be adding an extra layer of juice to this Vanderbilt offense next season as it looks to take another step forward in the best conference in college football.
