Vanderbilt offensive lineman Cooper Starks is heading to the transfer portal, officially announcing his plans ahead of the January window. The redshirt sophomore, who saw action in 10 games during his time in Nashville - including nine this season on special teams - will have two years of eligibility remaining as he looks for a new opportunity.
At 6-foot-5 and 329 pounds, Starks brings size and versatility to the table. He began his college career at guard but transitioned to center ahead of the 2025 season.
While he was listed as the backup center on Vanderbilt’s depth chart, it’s unclear how the coaching staff viewed the pecking order behind starter Jordan White. There’s also the presence of Cade McConnell - a starting guard with the ability to slide over to center - who could factor into the Commodores’ long-term plans at the position.
Starks was a 3-star prospect in the 2023 class and earned his Vanderbilt offer the old-fashioned way - by standing out at a camp in June 2022. He chose the Commodores over several Group of Five programs and has spent the last two seasons developing in the SEC trenches.
With his departure, Starks becomes the fourth Vanderbilt player to announce his intent to transfer this month, joining quarterbacks Drew Dickey and Jeremy St-Hilaire, along with fellow offensive lineman Misael Sandoval. Dickey declared his plans earlier in December, while St-Hilaire and Sandoval followed suit this week.
On the flip side, Vanderbilt has already started to reload. The Commodores have secured a commitment from Maurice Veney, a 3-star tight end transferring in from Division II Morehouse College.
Because Veney is coming from a non-Division I program, he was able to commit ahead of the official portal window, which opens Jan. 2 and runs through Jan. 16.
That two-week stretch will be the only transfer window this offseason, following the NCAA’s decision to eliminate the spring period.
For Starks, the portal offers a fresh start and a chance to compete for a larger role elsewhere. And for Vanderbilt, it marks another piece of roster turnover as the program continues to reshape its depth chart heading into 2026.