In this edition of ‘Dores in the Pros, The Hustler checks in on how several former Commodores have fared so far this NFL season.
#### **Dayo Odeyingbo, Defensive End (2017-2020): Chicago Bears**
There’s a lot of reasons why Vanderbilt’s former defensive quality control coach Jeremy Garrett [says](https://www.chicagobears.com/news/dayo-odeyingbo-motivated-by-family-legacy#:~:text=Bears%20defensive%20line%20coach%20Jeremy,he's%20ever%20coached%3A%20Dayo%20Odeyingbo.) that Dayo Odeyingbo is one of his “favorite players” that he has ever coached. Odeyingbo rose to prominence during his senior season in 2020, earning Second Team All-SEC honors. He started all 13 games and contributed 15 solo stops during that season. Despite the setback of a torn Achilles tendon while preparing for the NFL Draft, he was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 54th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He appeared in 61 games with the Colts, before joining the Chicago Bears as a free agent. The contract, worth $48 million over three years, reunited Odeyingbo with Jeremy Garrett, now in the role of defensive line coach in Chicago. Four games into the 2025 season, he has recorded one sack and nine tackles.
#### **Oren Burks, Inside Linebacker (2013-2017): Cincinati Bengals**
While at Vanderbilt, Oren Burks played at the “STAR” position — a linebacker-safety hybrid position. He earned a reputation for his versatility and leadership on West End, being named a defensive co-captain for his senior year. After a senior season in which he ranked No. 15 in total tackles in the SEC, he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the 88th overall pick in the 2018 draft. As a rookie, he appeared in 14 games, playing the familiar “STAR” position in four of them. Over the next three seasons for the Packers, he contributed and made appearances in most games.
He joined the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent in 2022, where he appeared in all 17 games. The following season, he started for the 49ers in their Super Bowl LVIII overtime loss to the Chiefs. Burks then moved to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 as a free agent where he was a key asset to their defense. In the NFC Championship win against the Washington Commanders, he forced a fumble. He then posted five tackles in the Eagles’ Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. This past off-season, he joined the Cincinatti Bengals on a two-year deal and has appeared in all six matchups to date.
#### **Trent Sherfield, Wide Receiver (2014-2017): Denver Broncos**
Trent Sherfield established himself as one of Vanderbilt’s most dependable receivers after breaking out in his sophomore season. He ended his career with 27 starts in 48 appearances, accumulating 136 receptions, 1,869 yards and 9 touchdowns with the Commodores. His best season for Vanderbilt was his senior campaign, where he amassed a career-high 729 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns as an offensive co-captain. Sherfield went undrafted in the 2018 NFL Draft despite his consistent production in Nashville. He later found a home as a free agent with the Arizona Cardinals, where he made an immediate impact. Through 13 games (two starts), he recorded 19 receptions, 210 yards and a touchdown. The following two seasons were less productive statistically, though he remained a special teams contributor. In 2021, he left for the San Francisco 49ers, a divisional rival. The following season he made a move to the Miami Dolphins, surpassing expectations with a career high in yards (417) and touchdowns (2). Since then, Sherfield has continued to find opportunities across the league, spending time with the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings and now the Denver Broncos. For the Broncos this season, he has recorded three receptions for 21 yards to date.
#### **Zach Cunningham, Linebacker (2013-2016): Detroit Lions**
Zach Cunningham was the heart of the Commodores’ defense in the mid-2010s. He became one of the most decorated players in school history, earning First-Team All-SEC honors in both 2015 and 2016. One of his most memorable performances came against Georgia, when he put up a career high 19 tackles — one of which was a crucial fourth-down stop — in the ‘Dores’ 17-16 win. That dominance carried him into the NFL, where the Houston Texans selected him in the second round (57th overall) of the 2017 Draft. He quickly proved himself, becoming a starter and one of the league’s most dependable tackles. His best season came in 2020, when he led the NFL with 163 tackles after signing a four-year, $59 million contract extension. He was released midway through the 2021 season, though, leading him to a brief stint back in Nashville with the Tennessee Titans. In 2023, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles, and in 2024, he joined the Denver Broncos. This season he is playing for the Detroit Lions and is currently dealing with injuries, leading him to see limited action.
#### **Justin Skule, Offensive Tackle (2015-2018): Minnesota Vikings**
Justin Skule is one of the best offensive linemen to come out of Vanderbilt in recent years. During his time as a Commodore, Skule was a four-year starter and earned SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors in October of his senior season. Skule went to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2019 NFL draft (183rd overall) and appeared in all 16 games for them in the 2020 season, starting in four of them. In 2021, Skule tore his ACL, leading to his release from the 49ers in 2022. He was then picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and spent time as a backup, but started five games in 2024 as an injury fill-in. In 2025, Skule signed with the Vikings. The Clifton, Virginia, native has appeared in four games for the Vikings this season, starting in three of them. In Minnesota’s most recent game, Skule started against the Cleveland Browns and played 100% of the Vikings’ offensive snaps.
#### **Julian Ashby, Long Snapper (2024), New England Patriots**
Julian Ashby played only one season at Vanderbilt in 2024, where he was a part of a large transfer class. Before Vanderbilt, he played three seasons at Furman University, where he was named an FCS All-American in 2023. In his time with the Commodores, he appeared in all 13 games, executing 114 snaps and recording tackles against South Carolina and Kentucky. He was also a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, given to the best long snapper in the country. He was selected [251st overall](https://vanderbilthustler.com/2025/04/26/football-julian-ashby-selected-in-seventh-round-of-nfl-draft/) by the New England Patriots in the 2025 NFL Draft but has yet to see game action this season.
#### **Anfernee Orji, Linebacker (2019-2022): Free agent**
Anfernee Orji was the centerpiece of Vanderbilt’s defense during his time with the ‘Dores. He led the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons, solidifying himself as one of the best linebackers in the country by his senior year. In his final season for the Black and Gold, he led the SEC in tackles per game, earning him Second Team All-SEC honors. Orji went undrafted in 2023 but signed with the New Orleans Saints on a three-year, $2.7 million deal. He was waived his rookie year but worked his way back onto the practice squad by the end of the season. Following the 2024 season, Orji was waived again by the Saints. In 2025, he signed with the Tennessee Titans but got waived again on Aug. 12 with an injury designation after tearing his ACL. Orji should find himself back on an NFL squad after recovering from injury.
#### **Adam Butler, Defensive Tackle (2012-2016): Las Vegas Raiders**
Adam Butler had a slow start to his career at Vanderbilt, but by his senior year, he proved his worth and led the team with four sacks. Butler went undrafted in the 2017 NFL Draft before signing a free agent contract with the New England Patriots. During his four seasons in New England, Butler won a Super Bowl in 2018 and recorded 15 sacks, playing in all 16 games each season. He also appeared in seven postseason games during his time with the Patriots. After his success in New England, he signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Miami Dolphins in 2021. He played one season on that contract before being released and signing a one-year deal with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. In that one season, he played all 17 games, recording 28 tackles, 5 sacks, 4 passes deflected and a forced fumble, leading to an extension with the Raiders in 2024. After his best season yet, where he recorded a career-high 65 tackles and 5 sacks, he signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract extension. Thus far in the 2025 season, he has appeared in all 6 games for the Raiders. Butler has 19 total tackles on the year, including three this past Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.