Vanderbilt Football Top 20 Player Rankings: No. 10

Our series ranking Vanderbilt football's top 20 players ahead of Clark Lea's sixth season continues with a player as steady as any on Vanderbilt's roster who has a chance to be among its best transfer portal pickups.

Oct 25, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper (56) leads the band in the victory song after defeating the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt football is in a new era under head coach Clark Lea as it moves forward after a program-best 10-3 season, but does so while replacing star quarterback Diego Pavia and star tight end Eli Stowers.

Lea and company believe that the program can move forward as winners, though, and the amount of experience they bring back is at the forefront of the reasons why. 

Lea has the 34th most experienced offense in the country, the No. 4 defense in the country, is No. 2 in game experience in the country and No. 12 in returning starts. 

“Just in terms of quality depth, I mean, this is probably the best team we've had,” Lea told Vandy on SI. “Obviously, we have some big gaps to fill, and some of those gaps were our production leaders from a year ago, but I like this team. 
I like where we are.” 

This Vanderbilt team doesn’t appear to have the elite names at the top of the roster that Lea’s 2025 team did, but he believes he’s got a capable group at every level. 

In Vandy on SI’s top 20 players list, all three phases will be represented, as well as every offensive and defensive position group. 

No. 10: Lyndon Cooper 

Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper (56) celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s hard to replace Vanderbilt center Jordan White, but Cooper is about as good as Vanderbilt could’ve done in the transfer portal.

Cooper is a steady veteran who would’ve been one of Vanderbilt’s best offensive linemen if he were around a season ago. On a new-look line that’s younger than the one Vanderbilt had a season ago, Cooper is a stabilizing force.

He was the No. 30 interior offensive line prospect in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports' composite ranking and made 25 starts for Pitt over the last two seasons. Cooper was also named to the Remington Award watch list. 

He probably won’t be all that noticeable, which is good news for Vanderbilt. 

Why No. 10? 

Cooper is an old guy that is a known commodity at this level. He’s not quite elite, but he is what he is. There’s real value in that.

Vanderbilt is relying on a number of leaps elsewhere on its roster, but Cooper probably isn’t going to take a significant one. And that’s okay. 

He’s still a piece that will hold his own every time Vanderbilt takes the field.

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