An unfortunate update from Vanderbilt star TE Eli Stowers shook Diego Pavia’s squad. As they prepare for the 2025 ReliaQuest Bowl, Stowers made his career decision, keeping the Commodores’ offense at high risk.

According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel’s report on X, Vanderbilt TE Eli Stowers has opted out of the ReliaQuest Bowl game against Iowa on December 31st. Stowers, who won the 2025 John Mackey Award and earned first-team All-SEC honors, has started preparing for the NFL Draft to compete for the top tight end slot.

“I’ve already started prepping for the NFL Combine,” Eli Stowers told ESPN. “So I won’t play, but this team will always hold a special place in my heart, and it was important for me to be here with my guys to support them in this game.”

Stowers, the 6-foot-4, 235-pounder, was recruited as a quarterback at Texas A&M from Denton Guyer High School. He later transferred to New Mexico, where he was remolded as a tight end on the receiving end of Diego Pavia’s throws, becoming a favorite duo and posting some decent numbers.

The duo arrived at Vanderbilt via the transfer portal before the 2024 season and led the offense to a place they had never been before. In the two seasons at Vanderbilt, Stowers had 111 catches for 1,407 yards with nine touchdowns. He was named the top student-athlete in the program and was honored with the William V. Campbell Trophy, as well as named a unanimous All-American.

With the right assistance from Stowers on the receiving end, Diego Pavia became a finalist for the 2025 Heisman Trophy this season for passing 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns, with the fourth-best QBR.

Stowers played a significant role in Diego Pavia’s offense since his days at New Mexico. His absence could cause Pavia to rely more heavily on wide receivers Junior Sherrill, Tre Richardson, and Richie Hoskins against Iowa.

Eli Stowers NFL Scouting Report

In the preseason, Ryan Wilson and former NFL GM Ran Carthon, on the NFL on CBS, projected Eli Stowers as a Day 3 NFL Draft pick. Wilson had him as the No. 5 tight end on his list, while Carthon kept him at No. 3. Both hyped his athleticism, speed, and run after the catch. However, they noted his stiffness in and out of breaks is an area he could work on.

At 6-foot-4, Stowers was widely viewed as a power slot receiver rather than a traditional tight end. Last season, he played 72.2% of the snaps from the slot, which is the highest rate compared to any tight end with at least 50 targets.

After a remarkable 2025 season, in which Stowers set a new benchmark with four touchdowns in 62 passes for 769 yards, the latest NFL report reveals a much better position for him in the NFL Draft. According to Matt Miller’s report, Stowers is considered one of the top 50 prospects and the No. 2 tight end prospect of the 2026 NFL Draft. He is only listed below Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq.

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Though when and where Stowers will head is yet to be seen, there’s no doubt that he has developed himself into a great tight end who can be a notable star in the pros.