According to On3’s Pete Nakos, former Boston College EDGE Edwin Kolenge has committed to Vanderbilt out of the NCAA transfer portal. Kolenge will head to Nashville with plenty of experience under his belt. Exactly what the Commodores are looking for, as they hope to continue program momentum into the 2026 season.
Looking at previous years for the Golden Eagles, special teams was where Kolenge spent a lot of his time. If there was any on-field action, it came as a rotational piece. Head coach Bill O’Brien trusted Kolenge in a bigger role for the 2025 season, seeing the decision pay off.
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Kolenge played in all 12 games this year for Boston College, starting in 10 of them. His production was by far the best of his career, recording 31 tackles, one tackle for a loss, and one sack.
Off the field, an award did get passed Kolenge’s way. He was the recipient of the Swede Nelson Award by the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston for outstanding sportsmanship, academic, and athletic excellence. Certainly a prestigious honor of Kolenge to win during his last season with Boston College.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
What Vanderbilt is getting out of Edwin Kolenge
The On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings slotted Kolenge as a three-star prospect. He was the No. 891 overall player to enter this cycle and No. 81 when just looking at the EDGE position.
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From an eligibility standpoint, just one more season is expected to remain. Boston College listed Kolenge as a redshirt junior on his official roster bio. The extra year comes from when Kolenge was a true freshman, only playing in three games in 2022.
Vanderbilt will look at ’25’s production and hope for just a tick more. Defense was certainly a struggle for the Commodores at times last season. Teams were able to put together solid numbers through the air, mainly when quarterbacks had time in the pocket. Somebody like Kolenge plans to change that.
Spring practice through summer will be anticipatory for Vanderbilt. Everyone will have Aug. 30 circled on the calendar, playing Austin Peay Week 1. Delaware and NC State round out the nonconference portion of the schedule before diving into a tough SEC nine-game grind.
