As Vanderbilt fans, and college football fans nationwide, anxiously await the start of fall practice for the upcoming 2005 season, two other levels of football are or have already begun. Most high schools across the country have started their formal fall practices this week..some of them today.

Also, the next level began their fall camps this past weekend, as the National Football League's professional teams began to hold practices in preparation for September.

This past off-season there's been some moves as well as some draft picks and rookie free agent pickups involving former Vanderbilt players. Currently, there are as 12 former Dores in NFL camps, and another three former Commodores looking to get signed to a camp after some cuts are made.

Vanderbilt has five members of their 2004 team currently in camps from Buffalo to San Diego. Last April, former defensive end Jovan Haye(Panthers) and offensive linemen Justin Geisinger(Bills) were selected in the NFL draft. After the draft, former Dores wide receiver Brandon Smith signed with the New York Giants, fullback Matthew Tant signed with the San Diego Chargers, and former corner Dominique Morris signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, Morris was a causalty of some free agent moves in late June, and was cut by the Buccaneers. He has since signed on with former VU teammate Matt Clay in the United Indoor Football League on the Tennessee Valley Raptors.

In the meantime, the man that played on the other side of the secondary, Bill Alford has found his way into the Baltimore Ravens camp. A former two year starter for the Dores, Alford might be a long shot to make the Ravens, but when you consider the amount of defensive backs the team has carried before, Alford might just be playing on sunday's in September. He's currently wearing jersey number 38 for the Ravens.

Alford played in 21 games at Vanderbilt after being a rare junior college transfer to the school. He had a career of 77 tackles, 4 interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and recovered 2 fumbles.

Defensive End Jovan Haye, bypassed his 5th year of eligibility following a disappointing '04 both personally and team wise. Drafted in the 6th round by the Carolina Panthers, Haye enters fall camp in his first professional season, as a backup at one of two of the top defensive ends in the NFL in Mike Rucker and Julius Peppers.

Haye, has been awarded jersey number 92. The former two-time Vandy captain, and 2003 All-SEC 2nd team selection, played 35 games at Vanderbilt, tptaling 149 tackles, 16 TFL's, 10.5 career sacks, 1 interception, and 4 forced fumbles.

Offensive linemen Justin Geisinger, was also selected in the sixth round, by the Buffalo Bills. A two-year captain as well at Vanderbilt, Justin enters his first fall camp in the NFL, with oppertunity starring him right in the face. He should definitely be in the thick of things for a backup guard spot, but with Buffalo also not having a very established line, Geisinger could eventually find himself in the starting lineup. Justin has gone two digits up on his jersey, now sporting number 73.

Geisinger was an All-SEC selection in 2004, played in the Senior Bowl, and was an All-SEC freshmen selection in 2001. Justin was without a doubt one of the best tackles in modern Vanderbilt history.

Wide Receiver Brandon Smith signed a free agent deal with the Giants shortly after the NFL Draft in April. Smith comes into the camp, looking to make a roster spot, and at last check was reported to be on the third string spot behind recently aquired Plaxico Burress. Old number 80, is now number 83 with the Giants. With some unproven backup wide receivers in Giants camp and some other guys who have a history of droping several balls thrown to them.

Brandon finished his career at Vanderbilt, with 108 receptions, 1,497 yards, and 5 touchdowns. Smith possessed great speed, solid hands, and could leap up and catch everything. Brandon's best game at Vanderbilt, was possibly his last when he caught 8 passes against Tennessee for 160 yards.

Fullback Matthew Tant was rated as one of the top fullbacks last season, and decided to bypass his 5th year of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft. Though he went undrafted, the Tennessee native was quickly signed by the San Diego Chargers and currently enters camp battling for the backup job to veteran Lorenzo Neal. Tant will be sporting jersey number 32 this fall.

Tant, who followed his brother Jason to Vandy, is a solid blocker who can also run like a half-back and can catch the ball out of the backfield. While at Vanderbilt, Tant gained over 579 career yards on 141 carries, scoring 5 touchdowns. Tant also caught 29 passes for 350 yards and scored 4 touchdowns as well.

As far as the NFL veteran Commodores, some old faces are in new places. During the off-season, Former VU linebacker Matt Stewart left the Atlanta Falcons after four years to sign with the Cleveland Browns. Stewart will wear jersey number 55 with the Browns.

Stewart, who was originally a fourth round pick by the Falcons in 2001, has played over 63 games, making 45 starts. He is currently battling for one of the outside linebacker spots in the Browns new 3-4 defense under first year coach Romeo Crennel. Stewart is one of the few Browns linebackers who is familiar with playing in the 3-4, having done so both in spots at Vanderbilt as well as at Atlanta. He was a part of one of Vanderbilt's best ever linebacker units, was a first team All-SEC selection his senior year, and still ranks as one of the top all-time sack leaders.

Another former Vanderbilt player who switched teams is none other than Jimmy Williams. The fifth year cornerback, who joined the NFL the same year as Stewart (and was selected in the same draft as Stewart), ended his four year career with the San Francisco 49ers when he signed with the New Orleans Saints in the spring.

Still considered as one of the best pure athletes to ever attend Vanderbilt, Williams started off his career as a punt returner with the 49ers, and at one time lead the league in punt return yardage. Injuries though took away from his special teams play, but he did get an increased role in the secondary last season. He enters Saints camp having to battle a group of younger corners for a true playing time.

A player who coverted from running back to cornerback during his career at Vanderbilt, but still finished with 10 career interceptions, Williams is returning home to his native Louisiana. This season he will be wearing jersey number 38 for the Saints.

Despite speculation and rumblings about, either being cut due to the salary cap or possibly holding out looking for extra security, Corey Chavous, possibly Vanderbilt's most well-known NFL player, did report to the Minnesota Vikings camp this past weekend. A year removed from a Pro Bowl season for the Vikes, Corey comes into his eighth year in the NFL and fourth with the Vikings as a strong safety.

Chavous, a former All-SEC selection and 2nd round pick in the 1998 Draft, is looking to return to his Pro Bowl form from the 2003 season, where he had 8 interceptions, 86 tackles and 6 pass deflections.

Joining him back in the Vikings secondary as preseason practice begins, is fellow former Dore, Rushen Jones. Jones played in 15 games his rookie season with the Vikings in 2003, but was released during last season by Minnesota..only to be re-signed later on in the season.

Jones, was a three year starter at Vanderbilt, and was a SEC All-Freshmen team pick in 1999. Jones is trying to re-establish a spot with the Vikings both in the special teams and nickel packages.

Former All-American linebacker Jamie Winborn enters his fifth season of 49er preseason camp, hoping this season will be the one he stays healthy in. New head coach Mike Nolan wants to bring in a 3-4 defense, which should figure to be one that the hard hitting, nose smacking, trash talking Winborn would excel in. There has been no doubt in what Winborn could do in the NFL, as he has made several plays when he has been healthy. The question with him is purely his health.

Winborn is still one of the linebackers that VU fans set the standard at, and had a tremendous reputation coming into the NFL, and despite his injury problems, he is still thought in many circles as a possible future All-Pro prospect if he stays healthy.

Nashville's own, and the oldest former Vanderbilt player playing in the NFL, linebacker Shelton Quarles is entering his 9th season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A Pro Bowler in 2002, Quarles has set up quite a legacy for himself with the Buccs, being a valued member of their lethal championship level defenses at the beginning of the decade, and still going strong as the teams middle linebacker. After suffering from an injury in 2003, Quarles came back in '04 posting 104 tackles and getting 3.5 sacks.

Quarles was a vital member of the 2002 Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers. Originally recruited by Watson Brown at Vanderbilt, Quarles is a true success story. He graduated in 1993 not realizing his dream of leading Vanderbilt back to a bowl game, and then spent three years in the CFL before scoring a chance with the Buccaneers in 1997.

Yet another former Vanderbilt linebacker in a NFL preseason camp, Hunter Hillenmeyer has already made some news. Over the weekend, Hunter suffered a mild concussion and was held out of action. He returned to the practice field however on Monday and is looking to keep his starting outside linebacker spot with the Chicago Bears. This will be his third season in the NFL.

Last season, the former All-SEC linebacker and 5th round draft pick in 2002, Hillenmeyer not only saw action at outside linebacker, but middle as well when he filled in for an injured All-Pro Brian Urlacher. Hunter is not only a former Dore but is also a former Montgomery Bell Academy star in Nashville as well. He made 74 tackles and 2 sacks last season.

Todd Yoder heads into his second year with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a third string Tight End and special teams player. His sixth season overall, he was previously a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, also playing in Super Bowl 37.

Yoder has been used mostly as a blocking tight end, but last season started a career best 8 games catching 14 passes for 157 yards and neting a long of 56 yards on a national broadcast against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yoder's career at Vanderbilt went from wide receiver, to H-back, to tight end. His most memorable season at Vanderbilt was possibly his freshmen year in 1996 when he lead the team in receptions and yards, and had a memorable first collegiate catch for a touchdown to take a lead on Notre Dame on national television.

Two other former Vanderbilt players who were on NFL rosters last season, but currently are not, are former All-American linebacker Jamie Duncan and safety Ainsley Battles.

Last season Duncan was with the Falcons, and despite a good preseason going in, Duncan suffered from an injury and was virtually lost for the entire season. One of Vanderbilt's all-time best, Duncan was drafted by the Buccaneers in the third round of the 1998 Draft. After a promising start with Tampa, he moved on to the Rams in 2002, and suffered through injuries and an odd coaching staff for two years before ending up with the Falcons last year.

Battles, himself has battled injuries in his professional career. After a solid rookie campaign with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2000 he was regretably cut due to salary cap issues, and went on to play with the Jaguars. After a couple of good years with the Jags he was then cut as well for the same salary cap reasons. Once looking like he was going to sign with the Tennessee Titans, he instead went to the Buffalo Bills and then decided to step away from the game for a while. Last season he came back to where it started, in Pittsburgh, and was holding his own in a battle with a younger safety before getting injured early in the first game of the season against the Raiders.

Both Duncan and Battles have not knowningly retired at this point, so they could be looking for a free agent contract once injuries and roster cuts start happening in the next couple of weeks.

VandySports.com will follow the careers of all of these former Vanderbilt Commodores, and provide weekly updates during the preseason and NFL regular season and playoffs, as we have in the past.