Vanderbilt Football 2026 Depth Chart Projection: Wide Receiver

Consistent factors: Junior Sherrill, Ja’Cory Thomas, Cole Adams

Rotational pieces: Brycen Coleman, Tristen Brown, Kayleb Barnett, Joseph McVay,

Battling: Kahden Smith, Cameran Dickson, Lebron Hill

Positional storylines:

Vanderbilt wanted to build the room with Tre Richardson and Sherrill for one more season, but couldn’t come to an agreement with Richardson. Still, though, it split the difference and probably got the more complete receiver anyway.

Sherrill can’t do it by himself, though. Thomas—who is a highly-compensated transfer from Old Dominion—has to step up. Vanderbilt also needs a number of its returning young players to demonstrate why they were recruited.

McVay, Coleman and Brown have all seen the field sparingly over the years because of pieces of their respective games that had to improve and a group of veterans ahead of them. That’s no longer the case, though.

Those guys have to help Vanderbilt in 2026. None have to be stars, but someone has to prove that they’re worthy of being on the field with some level of consistency.

Despite Sherrill headlining it, this is among the most unproven rooms on Vanderbilt’s roster. Yet, it’s not hopeless. It just needs a few pieces to play to a level that they haven’t yet.

Key pieces:

Junior Sherrill

Sherrill is ranked as the No. 1 player in Vandy on SI’s Vanderbilt player rankings because he has the best track record of proven production on the Vanderbilt roster.

He was Vanderbilt’s second-leading receiver in 2025 as he went for 784 yards on 54 receptions and scored seven touchdowns–including a 46 yarder, but he still believes he’s got more to accomplish.

“I want to be the most dynamic person with the ball in my hands in the country,” Sherrill told Vandy on SI. “I feel like I’m gonna be an all-conference player this year.”

Sherrill has proven to be good and will certainly be that again in 2026–despite heavier coverage—but he knows the next step for him is to be truly elite.

The ceiling of this group largely hinges on how close to elite Sherrill can get.

Brycen Coleman

Coleman has been a fall-camp hero over the years while playing tight end, but the role has never been there for him to take.

As a result, he and Vanderbilt’s coaching staff combined to come to a decision that ended in him moving to Vanderbilt’s wide receiver room.

The problem for Coleman has never been anything to do with pass catching. He’s a big body with standout jump-ball skills, competent foot speed and some natural route-running ability.

“It’s been a seamless transition for him,” Vanderbilt wide receivers coach Alex Bailey said. “Some of the things we asked him to do last year were very much like a receiver. Where he is working to get better is just being on the outside, going against press coverage.  That’s a little bit different. And, you know, our goal is to ultimately move him around and have him play outside and have him play inside, so those are the points of emphasis, and those are things that he's working on.”

Vanderbilt needs Coleman to prove worthy of playing in 2026, and it appears he’ll do so.

Joseph McVay

McVay has always been good for a deep ball or two in practice or in a certain in-game package, but he’s not yet proven to be a complete receiver.

Now, though, he’s intent on becoming one.

“He's taking it seriously now,” Bailey said. “He really, really wants to play and he's fighting for a role. I think he's kind of learning from the past two years.  He doesn't want it to end up that way, and he's taking the right steps towards changing it.”

Like Coleman, the opportunity for McVay to prove he belongs is as significant as it’s ever been since he arrived at Vanderbilt in 2024. Now, he’s just got to go earn it.

In some ways, he’s a microcosm of the room as a whole.

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