Former Vanderbilt do-it-all linebacker Zach Cunningham was picked No. 57 by the Houston Texans in the second round of the NFL Draft on Friday night.

Sometimes you scratch your head wondering how guys escaped the likes of Alabama and Auburn before heading to Vanderbilt. Normally, players just don’t land out of state, but the Pinson, Ala., native did just that. Cunningham was rated a 4-star prospect exiting high school.

And he sure shined for the Commodores’ defense.

His long 6-foot-4 frame allowed him to grow into an athletic freak, and he exploded onto the scene. He started the final five games as a redshirt freshman, and he started the final nine games as a redshirt sophomore. But his junior season went to a whole new level.

Cunningham led the SEC with 125 tackles, including 16.5 for loss, and he was selected as a unanimous All-American for his incredible effort.

The bottom line for Cunningham: He’s a play-making machine who will impress in the NFL with his speed and consistency.

Kevin Duffey

A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.