Martel Hight Named to Paul Hornung Award Watch List
Vanderbilt’s Cornerback/Wide Reciever/Return Specialist Martel Hight has been named as one of 46 players to the Paul Hornung Award watch list. The Paul Hornung Award was created in January of 2010 and is awarded to the most versatile player in all of college football. Martel Hight’s 2025 season can certainly fit that mold.
As the rest of the country found out during SEC media days what Vanderbilt fans already knew, Martel Hight will play both sides of the ball this upcoming season. Hight is expected to be Vanderbilt’s CB1 this fall, contribute on the offensive side as a WR, and will continue his role returning punts for the Commodores as he showed explosive flashes during the 2024 season – returning 18 punts for 265 yards and 1 TD.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter won the award in both 2023 and 2024. Other SEC names on the watch list include:
Zavion Thomas (LSU, WR)
Davon Booth (Mississippi State, RB)
Jordan Baugh (Florida, RB)
KC Concepcion (Texas A&M, WR)
Kam Shanks (Arkansas, WR)
Ryan Williams (Alabama, WR)
If Martel Hight has the role on offense I expect, he is the most likely player on Vanderbilt’s roster to win a national award. There are simply no other players in the country that will contribute as heavily in all three phases of the game.
