Pavia, Stowers Up For Player of the Year: The Anchor
In this story:
Two Vanderbilt football stars have been named to another prestigious preseason watchlist.
Quarterback Diego Pavia and tight end Eli Stowers were both mentioned on the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch List, which is awarded to the best player in college football.
Pavia, who was the 2024 SEC Newcomer of the Year, was responsible for 3,094 yards and 28 touchdowns in his first year in Nashville. Pavia led Vanderbilt to a 7-6 record and its first bowl appearance since 2013.
This is the second notable preseason watch list Pavia has been named for. A week ago, he was one of 80 players to be named to the Maxwell Award Watch List and has been named as a preseason All-American.
Stowers, who Pavia refers to as his “safety blanket,” led the Commodores in catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns with 49 receptions for 638 and five touchdowns. Stowers was named to the preseason All-SEC First Team following SEC Media Days in mid-July.
The dynamic duo of Pavia and Stowers proved last season to be one of the better quarterback-pass catcher combos in the country. The two will look to take their team to newer heights in the upcoming season, which starts on Aug. 30 against Charleston Southern.
Today’s Commodores Schedule
No games scheduled.
Did You Notice?
Vanderbilt’s men’s tennis’ 2025 class finished as the top-ranked class in the sports according to the final Tennis Recruiting Network rankings. Hwang Donghyun rounded out the class over the weekend.
“We are thrilled to announce the signing of Hwang,” head coach Scott Brown said. “Not only do we expect him to make an immediate impact right away this fall and carry it over into our season in the spring, but his personality and character fit right into the culture we are building. We look forward to having him on West End in three weeks wearing the black and gold.”
It is the first time in program history the Commodores finished at the top of the nation in recruiting.
Countdown to Vanderbilt’s 2025 Football Season Opener
25 days
Commodores Quote of The Day
“To know you’ve been nominated to the Hall to me is a tremendous honor. I may never get in but I will share with you this: in 1987 I got an award that the NFL gives out once each year to an outstanding punter or place kicker, the Golden Toe award. They have a replica of that on display in the Hall and they have the previous winners on it. So if I never get inducted into the Hall of Fame I know my name will be there forever.”Jim Arnold
Check Us Out On:
Vanderbilt Commodores On SI:
Graham Baakko is a writer for Vanderbilt Commodores On SI, primarily covering football, basketball and baseball. Graham is a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, where he wrote for The Crimson White, WVUA-FM, WVUA 23 as he covered a variety of Crimson Tide sports. He also covered South Carolina athletics as a sportswriting intern for GamecockCentral.