At 6'4 and 205 pounds, linebacker Zach Cunningham of Pinson Valley has the length and bound of a small forward but on the football field. Only he plays as if the ball carrier stole something from him. He is tenacious. He looks like he's springing from place to place, rather than just running.
Cunningham was productive as a junior, but at 185 pounds there were some concerns he could get big enough to play at a high level. At roughly 205 pounds and a look at his build, it's easy to see him playing in the 235+ range and only getting more explosive.
To date, Tennessee is Cunningham's biggest scholarship offer among schools that include Alabama State and Samford, but one can't help of think of linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Patrick Willis when considering the recruitment of Cunningham. Ryans and Willis were late bloomers who bloomed outside of the shine of today's spotlight and were relative unknowns when they eventually signed their scholarship papers with Alabama and Ole Miss respectively.
Cunningham's senior highlight video made the rounds through college offices this week and will see his scholarship total easily reach the double digits before Thanksgiving.
Take a look at Cunningham in action from his senior season and see a player who went from No-Stars yesterday to a 4-Star rating today.