HEADLINES

Zach Cunningham

NFC South Notes: Panthers, Falcons, Saints

April 13th, 2017 at 5:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey visited the Panthers last week, and one NFL general manager tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that it “wouldn’t be shocking or surprising” if Carolina tabs McCaffrey at No. 8. Many mock drafts have sent LSU’s Leonard Fournette or Florida State’s Dalvin Cook going to the Panthers in the first round, and as Rapoport notes, McCaffrey isn’t exactly a scheme fit for Carolina. But McCaffrey is now expected to be selected within the top 10 picks, and Panthers head coach Ron Rivera recently indicated no slot is “too high” to draft a running back. Carolina recently inked incumbent back Jonathan Stewart to an extension through 2018, but that deal won’t preclude them from adding another runner.

Here’s more from the NFC South:

  • The Falcons hosted Houston edge rusher Tyus Bowser on Tuesday, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. In his senior season with the Cougars, Bowser registered 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and four passes defensed. He ranks as the 36th overall prospect in the draft, in the estimation of Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com, who lauds Bowser’s “tremendous play speed” and ability to match up against opposing tight ends. Atlanta’s current pass-rushing group consists of Vic Beasley and an amalgamation of average to below-average players: Adrian Clayborn, Brooks Reed, Courtney Upshaw, Derrick Shelby, and Jack Crawford.
  • UCLA edge rusher Takkarist McKinley met with two NFC South clubs — the Panthers and Falcons — this week, per Rapoport (Twitter link), who adds McKinley will visit with four more unidentified teams next week. Both Carolina and Atlanta could use youthful reinforcements on the edge, and McKinley stock has vacillated enough that he could conceivably be selected at No. 8 (Panthers) or No. 31 (Falcons). For what it’s worth, I sent McKinley to Atlanta in PFR’s first mock draft of 2017. Following shoulder surgery, McKinley may miss part or all of an NFL training camp and preseason.
  • The Saints hosted Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham today, and have been showing “a lot of interest” in the Commodore defender during the predraft process, according to Nick Underhill of the Advocate (Twitter link). New Orleans already added veteran off-ball linebackers A.J. Klein and Manti Te’o to a second-level group that also includes Craig Robertson, Dannell Ellerbe, and Stephone Anthony. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

April 2nd, 2017 at 3:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Safeties aren’t a priority in Cowboys defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli‘s scheme, according to Todd Archer of ESPN.com, which could help explain why Dallas didn’t seriously attempt to re-sign Barry Church or J.J. Wilcox. Church landed a four-year, $26MM deal with the Jaguars, while Wilcox inked a two-year, $6.5MM pact with the Buccaneers. Former first-round pick Byron Jones, meanwhile, is signed for two more years (plus a fifth-year option), and could be an interesting “case study” as Dallas will be forced to consider handing a hefty contract to a safety, per Archer.

Here’s more from the NFC East:

  • The Eagles hosted UConn safety Obi Melifonwu for a top-30 draft visit on Thursday, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. At least seven other NFL teams have expressed interest in Melifonwu, who is expected to be drafted in the the first or second round. Philadelphia is set at safety for the immediate future, although veteran Malcolm Jenkins has reportedly been discussed in trade talks.
  • Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham has “attracted the interest” of the Giants, and could be in the mix for New York when it picks at No. 23, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com writes. While the Giants famously haven’t selected a first-round linebacker since 1984, the club needs reinforcements at the position, as Devon Kennard, Keenan Robinson, and Jonathan Casillas isn’t exactly a world-beating starting group. Earlier this year, a scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report that Cunningham “needs to gain strength” and “make more tackles.”
  • Offensive lineman Byron Bell‘s one-year deal with the Cowboys has a base value of $2MM, reports Wilson (Twitter link). Bell, 28, will receive a $1MM base salary, a $250K signing bonus, and $300K in per-game roster bonuses. He can also earn another $450K through weight bonuses, which will immediately count on Dallas’ salary cap as likely-to-be-earned because they’re considered to be under the player’s control.

Vanderbilt LB Zach Cunningham Enters Draft

January 14th, 2017 at 7:50pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham announced tonight that he’s declaring for the 2017 NFL draft, as Alex Marvez of SiriusXM NFL Radio tweets.Zach Cunningham (Vertical)

[RELATED: Michigan’s Jabrill Peppers Declares For Draft]

Cunningham, 22, has played in 32 games for the Commodores over the past three seasons, and has been a tackling machine during that time. He’s racked up 256 tackles — including 36 for a loss — along with six sacks, seven forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries during his Vanberbilt career. Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com recently ranked Cunningham as the No. 3 inside linebacker in 2017 class, behind Alabama’s Reuben Foster and Ohio State’s Raekwon McMillan.

Given that NCAA underclassmen only have until Sunday to declare for the 2017 draft, Cunningham’s announcement tonight means he’s one of the latest early entrants this year, leading Matt Miller of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) to ask a scout why Cunningham had waited on his decision. “We’re not in love with him,” said the scout, predicting that Cunningham will be selected in Round 2 or 3. “Needs to gain strength, make more tackles.”