NFL Draft Profile: Travis Vokolek, Tight End, Nebraska Cornhuskers

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Nebraska TE Travis Vokolek

Travis Vokolek
Nebraska Cornhuskers

#83
Pos: TE
Ht: 6060
Wt: 259
Hand: 0948
Arm: 3278
Wing: 7918
40: 4.75
DOB: 6/4/1998
Hometown: Springfield, MO
High School: Kickapoo
Eligibility: 2023

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One-Liners

“One of the biggest tight ends in the draft, Vokolek is a developmental prospect, who could be a practice squad player to start his career.”

Evaluation:

On film, Vokolek is a tall lanky tight end. He plays in-line and as a big slot for the Cornhuskers. He does his best work in the slot, where he can maximize his size and quickness. For a bigger player, Vokolek has very solid movement skills. He isn’t a lumbering athlete and Vokolek was able to get open on crossing and dig patterns. Vokolek gets in and out of his breaks very well for a player of his size. With the ball in his hands, Vokolek is a hard player to bring down. He isn’t necessarily natural in that regard yet but defenders struggled to bring him down after he caught the ball. Vokolek catches the ball away from his body but he had a couple of drops on film. As a blocker, Vokolek is more of a position blocker, who struggles to sustain blocks. He lacks physicality and effort at times in the run game. For the most part, defenders were able to easily disengage from his blocks. Vokolek struggled as a blocker and shouldn’t be counted on to contribute in that area early on. His height makes it hard for him to play with low pad level, which also hurts him as a blocker. Overall, Vokolek has the size teams look for in a developmental tight end. He isn’t explosive off the line but he has build up speed. Vokolek will never be a high-end blocker but he needs to improve a lot in that area of his game to get on the field. His receiving upside just isn’t there for him to be brought in as a receiving tight end. Based on his film, Vokolek should definitely be invited to a training camp but it might be a struggle for him to make a roster. It wouldn’t be shocking if a team throws him on the practice squad, if he shows enough as a receiver in training camp.

Grade:

UDFA Grade

Background: 

At Kickapoo High School in Springfield, Missouri, Travis Vokolek competed in basketball and track and field before graduating high school as a three-star prospect after his success playing Tight End and Defensive Back in football. Vokolek’s father and uncle have coaching experience at the collegiate level, and his cousin, Chase Allen, signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent in 2022. After leaving Kickapoo, Vokolek arrived at Rutgers and only had 1 reception for 14 yards as a freshman. The following season Vokolek improved to 16 receptions, 184 yards, and 2 touchdowns in 12 games. In the summer of 2019, Vokolek transferred to Nebraska and proceeded to sit out the season in accordance with NCAA transfer rules. While Vokolek missed three games in 2021 due to a minor foot injury, his production at Nebraska increased steadily year after year. As a senior, Vokolek totaled 20 receptions, 240 yards, and 2 touchdowns while fighting an ankle injury that held him out for 2 games. Off the field, Vokolek excelled academically, resulting in him making the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in 6 different semesters, the Academic All-Big Ten in 2020-2022, and earning the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2022. Vokolek also earned a degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies in August of 2021 and enrolled in graduate courses.