27-03-2025
Clark Lea doesn't need Martel Hight to be Travis Hunter but could have his first Vanderbilt two-way player
Vanderbilt football could have a new option on offense in 2025.
Martel Hight, a starting cornerback and second-team All-SEC punt returner, has gotten some reps at receiver during spring practice.
It's not yet known if Hight would play both ways during the season.
The idea to try offense was Hight's first. He played both ways in high school, then approached the coaches to ask if he could try it with the Commodores. Right now, Hight is in a trial period, and if the coaches like what they see, the arrangement could carry over to games.
"I've got pretty good ball skills, and coaches have seen it, and I kept bringing it to the coaches' attention that I wanted to play both sides, and they finally gave me the opportunity to do that," Hight said. "So now I'm trying to capitalize."
Using Hight could aid a Vanderbilt offense that has struggled to get much production at wide receiver under coach Clark Lea. The Commodores return Junior Sherrill and Richie Hoskins, as well as top tight end Eli Stowers, but outside that they are light on proven production at receiver.
Vanderbilt took two transfer receivers during the fall: Chance Fitzgerald from Virginia Tech and Trent Hudson from Mississippi State. Fitzgerald was a local high-school star but he didn't play much with the Hokies. Hudson was highly productive at New Mexico State in current Vanderbilt offensive coordinator Tim Beck's system, but he struggled to get on the field with a Bulldogs team that finished 2-10.
Redshirt freshman tight end Brycen Coleman is another breakout candidate based on his spring performance, but adding Hight to the offensive group − even if it's only in certain packages − could provide a new wrinkle.
In 2024, Hight appeared in all 13 games. As a defensive back, he made 33 tackles, two tackles for loss and two interceptions. As a punt returner, he had 265 yards on 18 returns with one touchdown. Among SEC returners who averaged at least one punt return per game, Hight was first in yards per return (14.7) and second in total yards (265). That type of shiftiness could aid him at receiver.
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During Lea's tenure, Vanderbilt has not had a player who played both offense and defense during the same season. Colorado's Travis Hunter won the Heisman in 2024 as a two-way star. But if Hight ultimately is used on offense, his role will likely be more limited than Hunter's, being used in certain situations rather than playing nearly every snap. Hight's special teams prowess also adds a new dimension to his game.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@ or on X, formerly Twitter, @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Vanderbilt football: Clark Lea may make Martel Hight a two-way player
