Vanderbilt safety Marlen Sewell withdraws from NCAA transfer portal

Vanderbilt safety Marlen Sewell withdrew from the NCAA transfer portal after a little over a week, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.

Sewell played four seasons with the Commodores, but didn’t crack Vanderbilt’s regular rotation on defense until his junior season. He totaled 49 tackles, one PBU and a forced fubmle during his time in Nashville.

Sewell was a three-star recruit in the 2021 class, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, which is a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services. He was the No. 1,092 overall player in his cycle and the No. 100 overall cornerback.

His transfer comes after the Commodores finished 7-6 in one of the more exciting seasons in recent Vanderbilt memory. Star quarterback Diego Pavia, who is returning the Nashville in 2025, helped lead them to wins over the likes of Alabama, among others.

The portal officially opened on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. More than 2,800 FBS scholarship players entered their names into the NCAA’s transfer database during the 2023-24 school year. Removing those who withdrew or went pro, the final total sat at 2,707 transfers. That means roughly 25 percent of all FBS scholarship players hit free agency in one year, per On3’s Pete Nakos.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

Marlen Sewell ready to run it back with Vanderbilt

After announcing his return to Vanderbilt in 2025 thanks to a recent legal ruling, the dynamic dual-threat quarterback Diego Pavia has big expectations for the Commodores next season.

“I want to be a national championship winning team,” Pavia explained. “I feel like we’ve got the pieces to do it. We’re missing maybe one or two more pieces and once we have those guys, we’re ready to go as long as everyone stays healthy.”

Pavia also discussed what Friday night’s bowl win meant for the program, and how his “mamba mentality” helps propel him to greater heights.

“It means a lot. I feel like it means more to the fans here at Vanderbilt. This is just a stepping stone. So, we want a lot bigger stage than what we’ve got right now,” Pavia explained. “I just feel like God’s given me the gift to just have a different mentality. I just have a mamba mentality every time I step on the field. I feel like nobody’s better than me. I’m the best person ever. When I come on the football field, that’s how I feel.”