A pair of players who were dismissed from the Vanderbilt football team earlier this week have entered the NCAA transfer portal, Rivals has learned. Running back Maurice Edwards and linebacker Daniel Martin both hit the portal Friday.
Second-year coach Clark Lea announced that Edwards and Martin had been removed from the Commodore roster on Wednesday. Neither player appeared in the team's season-opening win over Hawaii last week.
"Maurice Edwards and Daniel Martin are no longer part of the Vanderbilt football team," Lea said in a statement. "We take pride in having the highest standards as a program, and in doing so ensure that it is a privilege to be a part of this team. A strong ecosystem will undoubtedly strengthen our program's performance on and off the field, and this ecosystem is my responsibility. We wish Maurice and Daniel the very best in their journeys forward."
Both Martin and Edwards were true freshmen this season. Martin was one of two four-star prospects signed by Vanderbilt in the class of 2022. He chose the Commodores over offers from Clemson, Georgia, Florida, Oregon and many other Power Five schools.
Both players will have all four seasons of eligibility remaining but will not be cleared to see the field until the 2023 season.