Zach Cunningham LB Vandy

Originally posted by strickac:
His speed and instincts can't be taught. Tackling can be coached up. He has some serious potential. He'd be my Deion Jones pick.

Wait, you mean that he couldn't learn how to tackle in tackle football while playing in the SEC?

Originally posted by strickac:
His speed and instincts can't be taught. Tackling can be coached up. He has some serious potential. He'd be my Deion Jones pick.

This sounds like "arm strength and size can't be taught, but accuracy can be coached up."


If you struggle with the main skillset required for your position in college,the odds that you suddenly get great at it when the competition is bigger, faster, stronger and smarter aren't that great.

Cunningham would basically be required to unlearn what he's been practicing for years, to change those same instincts which drive him to tackle high and out of control.

Originally posted by TheNef77:

Originally posted by strickac:

His speed and instincts can't be taught. Tackling can be coached up. He has some serious potential. He'd be my Deion Jones pick.

Wait, you mean that he couldn't learn how to tackle in tackle football while playing in the SEC?

For not knowing how to tackle he still manage to tally more than anyone else in that conference.

Originally posted by strickac:

Originally posted by TheNef77:

Originally posted by strickac:

His speed and instincts can't be taught. Tackling can be coached up. He has some serious potential. He'd be my Deion Jones pick.

Wait, you mean that he couldn't learn how to tackle in tackle football while playing in the SEC?

For not knowing how to tackle he still manage to tally more than anyone else in that conference.

Well he was pretty much by himself on that defense. Someone's gotta get the tackles. But I am in camp Cunningham. I love how he uses his length against blockers so they can't get into his body and sheds and attacks the ball carrier. To me that's more important than seeing Fosters bone crushing hits. But if Cunningham doesn't learn to lower his shoulder and pop someone he won't do s**t in the NFL

Originally posted by Hysterikal:

Originally posted by strickac:

Originally posted by TheNef77:

Originally posted by strickac:
His speed and instincts can't be taught. Tackling can be coached up. He has some serious potential. He'd be my Deion Jones pick.

Wait, you mean that he couldn't learn how to tackle in tackle football while playing in the SEC?

For not knowing how to tackle he still manage to tally more than anyone else in that conference.

Well he was pretty much by himself on that defense. Someone's gotta get the tackles. But I am in camp Cunningham. I love how he uses his length against blockers so they can't get into his body and sheds and attacks the ball carrier. To me that's more important than seeing Fosters bone crushing hits. But if Cunningham doesn't learn to lower his shoulder and pop someone he won't do s**t in the NFL

Agree. Cunningham also does a great job reading the play to shed those blocks. That tackling isn't going to work in this division though unless he gets help. David Johnson, Todd Gurley, and Thomas Rawls are going to gain extra yards with him trying to catch tackle them.

He declare yet?

Originally posted by NYniner85:

He declare yet?

Yup!
https://www.google.com/amp/draftwire.usatoday.com/2017/01/14/vanderbilt-lb-zach-cunningham-declares-for-2017-nfl-draft/amp/?client=safari

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

He declare yet?

Yup!
https://www.google.com/amp/draftwire.usatoday.com/2017/01/14/vanderbilt-lb-zach-cunningham-declares-for-2017-nfl-draft/amp/?client=safari

Cool...I'm not really high on him based on where he might get drafted.

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

He declare yet?

Yup!
https://www.google.com/amp/draftwire.usatoday.com/2017/01/14/vanderbilt-lb-zach-cunningham-declares-for-2017-nfl-draft/amp/?client=safari

Cool...I'm not really high on him based on where he might get drafted.

Where do you see him drafted 2nd-3rd?

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Originally posted by NYniner85:

He declare yet?

Yup!
https://www.google.com/amp/draftwire.usatoday.com/2017/01/14/vanderbilt-lb-zach-cunningham-declares-for-2017-nfl-draft/amp/?client=safari

Cool...I'm not really high on him based on where he might get drafted.

Where do you see him drafted 2nd-3rd?

If he drops to third I would be all over him. But if he goes 1st then that's a reach just like his tackling...

Originally posted by Alfienator:

Where do you see him drafted 2nd-3rd?

Where I think he should be drafted is 2nd third but he might go late 1st

I like this guy A LOT more now than I did as a 3-4 middle linebacker. I think he'd be a great fit for this type of defense.

Originally posted by Heroism:
I like this guy A LOT more now than I did as a 3-4 middle linebacker. I think he'd be a great fit for this type of defense.

he's good maintaining his run fits. adjusting to the center pull and getting to that playside shoulder without getting washed is hard pic.twitter.com/PMT49OwKT7

— charles mcdonald (@FourVerts) February 28, 2017

Still not a fan, he plays out of control so much, overruns plays, misses tackles, you pretty much have to re-do his whole tackling technique considering his tendency to try and arm tackle people over and over again.

He'll make some really spectacular tackles and then inexplicably miss what should be an easy tackle for any quality linebacker to make, dude confuses the hell out of me.

Yeah, he is raw and needs to be coached up, but I like the tools and his disposition and think in a simple scheme like this the light could really switch on. He wouldn't have to worry about taking on a guard, so he could be that, as nfl.com described, "run-and-chase weak-side linebacker".

He has a pretty long, wiry frame. I think he could stand to put on 10 lbs over time and with proper coaching, be our own version of KJ Wright at will LB down the road.



A lot it depends on where he goes, too. I like him somewhere in the 3rd, but not earlier than that.

It's funny how Cunningham's one of the best all-around LB's in this draft and isn't getting the respect he deserves. I'd draft him in a heartbeat...he's a tackling machine but also has excellent abilities to defend the pass.