NASHVILLE - Sedrick Alexander has already made his name as one of Vanderbilt’s top running backs, the kind of player who fits right into the program’s “run to win” approach. But if you ask him where he really separates himself, he doesn’t hesitate.
“I think I have arguably the best hands in the country,” Alexander said after Wednesday’s practice. “I feel like you could put me in the slot, put me out wide, you can throw to me out of the backfield. I’ll be able to get the job done.”
That’s a big statement in a sport loaded with talented backs, but Alexander’s confidence comes from a skill set he’s been building for a long time. He started out as a wide receiver when he first began playing football, and catching the ball was never an afterthought. He said he caught it plenty during those early days, and even after he shifted into a running back role, that part of his game stuck with him.
In high school, he would still line up at receiver in seven-on-seven drills, even though he played running back everywhere else. That background still shows up now.
“Since I was young I was able to catch the ball and I played receiver a little bit. I caught the ball a lot.
They always say running backs can’t catch, but I was always the one that can always catch the ball. So, I always surprised people,” Alexander said.
His teammate Makhilyn "MK" Young is not pushing back on that claim.
“He has some really good hands. He’s always said he has that one eye, but yeah he has some pretty good hands. I wouldn’t argue that,” Young said.
Alexander’s value goes beyond the catch itself. He takes pride in being a complete back, not just a runner who can flare out for a pass.
Vanderbilt’s coaching staff, led by running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford, expects that kind of versatility. The job includes reading defenses, handling blitz pickup and doing the dirty work in protection as much as it does carrying the ball or catching it.
The Commodores also lean on multiple running backs, which means each player in the room brings something different. Alexander believes his edge is simple: he can do damage as a receiver.
Last season, he caught 19 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns, a total that sits just below his 2024 receiving numbers. Even so, it reinforced what he already believes - that his hands can be a real weapon for Vanderbilt.
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