One area of need for Vanderbilt in 2024 was the lack of a gadget player for plays like jet sweeps, especially after Jayden McGowan transferred to Boston College. While wide receiver Junior Sherrill and running back AJ Newberry made strides, they did not fully fill that gap.
On Monday, the Commodores addressed McGowan’s absence by securing Jenks (Okla.) wide receiver Kayleb Barnett, who flipped from Central Arkansas. Barnett, who visited Vanderbilt over the weekend, clocked a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at one of the team’s summer camps and has a verified 10.44-second time in the 100-meter dash. He also won the Oklahoma Class 6A state championship in May with a personal best long jump of 22 feet 11.5 inches.
No other FBS programs have extended offers to him.
“First of all, I want to thank God for the blessings and opportunities,” Barnett wrote on X. “I want to thank my family, coaches, and teammates for making my high school experience unforgettable and for helping me reach this point. Vandy fans, I’m here!”
Barnett’s exact measurements are unclear; he’s listed at 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, but a source told 247Sports before his visit that the Commodores were unsure of his weight. As an explosive athlete in terms of both speed and quickness, Barnett is expected to contribute early in his career as a return specialist, provided he can gain enough weight to withstand tackles from SEC defenders without getting injured.
Offensive coordinator Tim Beck played a key role in Barnett’s recruitment, moving him up Vanderbilt’s priority list late in the process, with wide receivers coach Alex Bailey also involved.
Barnett currently does not have a rating from 247Sports, so Vanderbilt’s class remains at No. 72 according to the composite team rankings generated by 247Sports. He is the 13th commit for the Commodores’ 2025 class and their third wide receiver, joining 3-star recruits Cameran Dickson from Flour Bluff High in Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lebron Hill from Morton High in Hammond, Indiana.
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