NASHVILLE - By this time, all Vanderbilt fans know who running back Sedrick Alexander is and what he can bring to the table. One of the top running backs for the Commodores knows how to exemplify the "run to win" mentality the program places on the offense.
But there is another aspect of his game that Alexander feels confident in. In fact, he has a bold claim that proves that he has as much confidence a player could seemingly have.
"I think I have arguably the best hands in the country," Alexander said of his pass catching ability to reporters 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."
Considering the amount of talented running backs in college football, it is a take that many players and teams in the sport would argue against Alexander on but he nonetheless believes he can be matched up with anyone and be asked to do anything.
When Alexander first began playing football when he was young, he started his football life as a wide receiver, so pass catching was always a point of emphasis. As Alexander would attest, he caught the ball plenty of times during his day of being a wide receiver.
His time at wide receiver may not have lasted long before he eventually became a running back, but his willingness and ability to catch passes never went away. When Alexander was in practice during his high school days, he would always line up as a receiver in seven-on-seven drills. But outside of that, he was a running back.
"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.
Alexander's running mate, running back Makhilyn "MK" Young, seems to share the same sentiment about Alexander's catching ability.
"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 takes pride in being a versatile running back. He knows that he cannot be a one-trick pony out of the backfield and needs to be skilled in elements outside of running the ball. That standard is set by the coaching staff, headlined by Vanderbilt running backs coach Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford.
He asks his running backs to not just run and catch, but also know how to read defenses and pick up blitzes when they come. Blocking is just as important to the position as running and pass catching are.
There is a lot the program puts on the plate of running backs, including the use of multiple running backs. Vanderbilt fills the running back room with guys that have varying specialties. Alexander seems to believe his specialty is catching the football.
Last season, Alexander caught 19 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns. It is a tick below his receiving numbers for the 2024 season, but he still showed he can produce in the passing game out of the backfield.
Numbers and skill may not be the same thing, but Alexander does know his skill in the passing game will produce results for Vanderbilt and they will stem from his confident he has in himself to catch the ball.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/vanderbilt as Sedrick Alexander: "I Have the Best Hands in the Country" .
