Signing day: Vanderbilt signees from Derek Mason's 'best class' will play early

If Vanderbilt is in a bowl game a year from now, some of the new signees from Wednesday will have something to do with it.

Coming off a 5-7 season, the Commodores must replace three of their top wide receivers, two starting defensive linemen, two starting inside linebackers, four key defensive backs, a kicker and punter among other positions.

This class undoubtedly will have a hand in that rebuild, and coach Derek Mason knows it.

More:A look at Vanderbilt's signees

“We were 5-7 this year, and that’s not where we want to be,” Mason said at a press conference to wrap up day one of the early signing period. “… It is the best class (in my tenure). Every year you are trying to recruit guys better than the guys that you have.”

Mason isn’t blowing smoke about the relative talent in this class. With 17 signees so far, Vanderbilt's class is ranked 33rd nationally and 10th in the SEC by 247Sports Composite ratings. If that holds, it would be the highest-rated of Mason’s five classes and far better than last year’s No. 65 ranking.

More:Tennessee scrambling, Vanderbilt climbing as football early signing period hits

Players still can sign Thursday or Friday in the early period. And the late signing period will come in February, when class rankings are final.

Filling holes on defensive depth chart

In his opening remarks, Mason said four-star linebacker Alston Orji would have an “impact on this program immediately” and boasted that his staff landed “a premier outside linebacker” in 6-foot-6, 230-pound Elijah McAllister.

Three inside linebackers are gone. Starters Oren Burks and Emmanuel Smith graduated, and backup Jay Hockaday transferred from a defense that allowed a whopping 289 rushing yards per SEC game last season.

But Mason also hinted at a graduate transfer still to come, presumably Illinois transfer Tre Watson, a starting inside linebacker in the Big Ten who would be eligible immediately. Graduate transfers cannot be publicly acknowledged until their financial aid paperwork is filed and graduate school admission is complete.

Oregon transfer Rutger Reitmaier, a defensive lineman and former Lipscomb Academy standout, has “taken care of himself” to prepare his body for a Vanderbilt debut in 2018, Mason said. Reitmaier left Oregon last summer, so he also will be eligible immediately at Vanderbilt. But Mason said landing another defensive lineman is a goal for the February late signing period.

“There are going to be some opportunities for guys to make headway,” Mason said. “This (class) isn’t a finished product. It’s just the first phase of it.”

Shurmur to Johnson in 2018

Brentwood Academy’s Camron Johnson – a four-star signee and Vanderbilt’s highest-rated player thus far in this class – undoubtedly will have a chance to break into the receiver rotation.

More:I'm Camron Johnson: This is why I chose Vanderbilt

Kalija Lipscomb is the only Vanderbilt wide receiver with at least 10 receptions last season still remaining on the roster. Meanwhile, quarterback Kyle Shurmur will enter his senior season in need of targets to chase Vanderbilt passing records.

Johnson is a polished route-runner who drew scholarship offers from about half the SEC schools before choosing Vanderbilt.

Miles Jones, a speedy slot receiver and one of Vanderbilt’s top offensive targets, appeared to be another immediate impact player for Vanderbilt, but he did not sign Wednesday. Jones tweeted that he will sign in February with the rest of his high school teammates.

More:Camron Johnson, Gavin Schoenwald sign with Vanderbilt

Kicker Javan Rice signed with Vanderbilt, filling a hole left by the graduation of four-year starter Tommy Openshaw. Walk-on Ryley Guay is the only other kicker on the 2018 roster.

When asked whether Rice will be the placekicker in next season’s opener, Mason said, “I’d like it to be that way … but I want it to be all about competition.”

Mason said his staff is conducting a “global” search to find a punter by February after sophomore Sam Loy abruptly announced last week that he was leaving the program.

Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks