One of the biggest recruiting days of the year for the Vanderbilt Commodores got started off quickly with a bang when Sean Spencer, a defensive lineman out of Newnan (Ga.) Northgate gave a verbal commitment to head coach James Franklin.
Spencer was in town for Vanderbilt’s annual Cookout with Da Dores, an event that hosts some of the top targets and commitments for the Vanderbilt recruiting efforts. Spencer, a prospect that had previously listed Vanderbilt in his top four, decided the night before that he was ready to end the process.
“I committed,” Spencer said on Satuday night. “I decided last night. I had a talk with my family about it and we talked everything over. Vanderbilt is everything I look for in a school. It has great academics, a great city playing in the SEC.”
Spencer didn’t wait long to get his decision out of the way, having an early discussion with Coach Franklin to inform him of the news.
“Coach Franklin was very excited and so was (defensive line) coach Spencer,” he said. “It felt very good. It was a great weight lifted off my shoulders.”
The commitment to the Commodores came over a host of offers but the other three schools that Spencer was primarily considering were Army, Navy and Air Force. With a brother and a sister going to service academy route, there was family on the side of the other three but Vanderbilt ultimately won out.
Spencer also landed an offer from LSU this spring and while he had planned on getting down to Baton Rouge to camp for the Tigers and evaluate the school, he said he doesn’t anticipate making that trip anymore. He also doesn’t plan to visit any of the other schools that had offered like he had previously planned.
Spencer measured in on campus at 6-2, 255 pounds and though he plays defensive end in high school, he projects primarily to a defensive tackle on the next level. Coach Spencer did indicate that he will be playing some on both the outside and the defensive interior.
Spencer is rated by 247Sports as the No. 44 defensive tackle in the country and a three-star prospect.
- Barton Simmons
- National Recruiting Analyst - 247Sports