Why Vanderbilt football moved Martel Hight to wide receiver vs Mississippi State
· Yahoo Sports
STARKVILLE, MS − Martel Hight will be playing offense for Vanderbilt football, coach Clark Lea said after the senior played offense in the 25-23 victory over Mississippi State Nov. 7.
The change happened during the Commodores' off week. Hight has played cornerback for most of the season. He experimented with being a two-way player in 2025, but that was scrapped in 2026. He made seven catches for 64 yards in 2025.
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Vanderbilt (4-5, 1-5 SEC) has struggled to get production from wide receiver outside its top two, Junior Sherrill and Ja'Cory Thomas. The Commodores also have given more playing time to other corners, including Cayden Daniels and Davin Chandler.
"We need to explore every possible combination of people both at corner and at receiver," Lea said. " . . . We know Martel can add something with his speed and athleticism and his catch radius. He got behind the defense once tonight, we just underthrew it. I'm excited about what he can bring to that side of the ball.
"I'm excited to see him continue to grow in that position. But it felt like the right thing for the team, and he's the ultimate team guy. I think it bodes well for his future, too."
Hight gained three yards on a jet sweep play. He was targeted one other time but quarterback Jared Curtis overthrew him.
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or on X @aria_gerson.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why Vanderbilt football moved Martel Hight to wide receiver vs Mississippi State