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According to ESPN, Vanderbilt is now in line to bring one of 2015's top quarterbacks to Nashville. Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania's Kyle Shurmur has rocketed up the worldwide leader's top 300 recruits to earn a spot as the seventh-brightest pocket passer in the country. Shurmur is also rated as the 110th best overall prospect in his class.
That's a huge development for a Vanderbilt team that suffered through plenty of turmoil behind center last fall. Four different players started at quarterback in the Commodores' 3-9 campaign. Though Johnny McCrary eventually locked down the top spot on the depth chart, it's clear that the QB position will remain up in the air as spring practices loom. If Shurmur - the son of Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur - can have an instant impact when he arrives on Natchez Trace then he'll have the opportunity to work his way into the starting like like Wade Freebeck did last September.
Shurmur led La Salle to an 8-3 record while passing for 2,511 yards (64% completion rate), 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. Here's how some of those big plays went down, courtesy of Kyle's Hudl page:
Linebacker Josh Smith has joined Shurmur among ESPN's top 300 recruits, but his commitment is still up in the air. The Murfreesboro athlete was intent on joining his brother, safety Emmanuel Smith, on the Commodores' sideline this fall. However, Vandy's horrible season has led him to take other recruiting visits - most notably to SEC East rival Kentucky this past December.
According to ESPN, Nashville's own Donovan Sheffield rounds out the team's supply of four-star recruits. Another big time secondary recruit, Frank Buncom IV, has Vanderbilt in his final four school choices. He'll make his decision on January 28th after what I can only imagine is thousands of text messages from Vandy secondary coaches Brett Maxie and Todd Lyght.
Shurmur may end up being the jewel of the Commodore class of 2015, but there's still over two weeks left before National Signing Day. Can Derek Mason follow up on a solid first-year recruiting haul? Or will 2014's lackluster season prove too big an obstacle to overcome? We'll have more updates as they develop here at Anchor of Gold.