Nebraska Football: Travis Vokolek becomes Huskers’ first 2023 UDFA

Nebraska football didn’t have a great 2023 NFL Draft, but Travis Vokolek got some good news on Saturday as he’ll get a chance at the next level.

At one point on Saturday, it seemed like the Nebraska football team was going to go o-fer the 2023 NFL Draft. The Ochaun Mathis and Trey Palmer finally got picked in the sixth round. That was it.

No other Husker was selected, though that’s not a huge surprise. The third member of that trio who went to the NFL Combine, though, will get his shot at the next level. Travis Vokolek signed a UDFA deal with the Baltimore Ravens.

Senior NFL reported Matt Lombardo seems to think it’s a signing that could stick. In a tweet announcing the deal, Lombardo pointed out that Vokolek is a “quality depth pickup” and is a big-bodied tight end.

It’s true that the former Nebraska football player is massive. Standing 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 260, he’s got the physique to push people around.

The former Rutgers transfer also showed some offensive prowess he hadn’t really demonstrated before 2022. To that end, he’s one of just a few Huskers who really seemed to grow and develop under Scott Frost and his coaching staff.

Nebraska football players has a real shot at sticking in NFL

Vokolek posted career highs in catches (20) and receiving yards (240) in 2022. The catches equaled his Nebraska football career total entering last season. He also tied a career-high with two touchdown catches.

He could have had an even better season if not for some injuries that caused him to miss four games total. It seems that he convinced at least the Baltimore Ravens that he had more to offer.

He was one of three Nebraska football players invited to the NFL Combine and it appears that was his way in the door. Whether any other former Huskers get their chance at a free agent deal is yet to be seen.