Vanderbilt star Zach Cunningham declares for 2017 NFL Draft

The SEC's leading tackler is heading to the NFL, as Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham announced during the Walter Camp Awards banquet that he's entering the 2017 Draft, as per Alex Marvez of the Sporting News.

The redshirt junior cemented his status as one of the best defensive players in the country with an incredible season in 2016. His 125 tackles led the conference, helping him become the first Commodores player ever to be a unanimous first-team All-American.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Cunningham as the third-best inside linebacker in the 2017 NFL Draft, behind Reuben Foster of Alabama and Ohio State's Raekwon McMillan.

Cunningham was a tackling machine throughout his career at Vanderbilt, finishing with 256 total stops during his tenure, while also adding six sacks and 36 tackles for loss.