Kenny Vaccaro: 5 Things You Need to Know About the Texas S

Kenny Vaccaro is the top safety in the 2013 NFL draft and because of his athleticism and physicality, the Texas product will likely be selected in the first round.

Vaccaro is a "combo" defensive back, meaning he can play both safety positions and the nickel slot.  This has NFL teams salivating.

Let's take a closer look at Kenny Vaccaro.

Background

Kenny Vaccaro

Birthday: February 15, 1991

Hometown: Early, Texas

High School: Early

Major: Physical Culture and Sports

Year: Senior

Vaccaro was born in Brownwood, Texas, which is a small town with a population of nearly 20,000, and played football at nearby Early, Texas.  The mascot for Early High is the Longhorn.  Brownwood and Early are approximately three hours southwest of Dallas, Texas.

Statistics

In 2012, Kenny Vaccaro was named an All-American by Pro Football Weekly.  With each year, Vaccaro made more tackles and was a bigger part of Texas' defense, though he only made four interceptions in his four-year career.

YEAR	SCHOOL	SOLO	ASSIST	TOTAL	LOSS	SACK	INT	PD	FF	FR	TD
2009	Texas	13	5	18	0	0	0	0	1	0	0
2010	Texas	42	12	54	3	0	1	8	1	0	0
2011	Texas	45	22	67	6.5	2	1	9	0	0	0
2012	Texas	58	34	92	4.5	0	2	7	2	0	0

LOSS = Tackles for a loss

PD = Passes Defended

FF = Forced Fumbles

FR = Fumbles Recovered

TD = Defensive Touchdowns scored

Numbers obtained from Sports-Reference.com

Draft Process

Measurables

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 214 lbs.

Arm Length: 32 3/4"

Hand Size: 10"

Combine Results:

40-yard dash: 4.63 sec

Bench press: 15 reps

Vertical jump: 38 inch

Broad jump: 108 inch

3-cone drill: 6.78 sec

20-yard shuttle: 4.06 sec

Kenny Vaccaro disappointed in the NFL combine's 40-yard dash, clocking in at 4.63 seconds.  The ex-Longhorn did show quickness during his 20-yard shuttle run, being timed at 4.06 seconds.

Vaccaro did not participate in Texas' pro day because of a hip injury.

Source: NFL.com

Interesting Facts

Kenny Vaccaro's uncle is A.J.Johnson, a former NFL cornerback who spent seven years in the league and was a member of the 1991-92 Super Bowl-winning Washington Redskins.

Vaccaro claims that the Seattle Seahawks' Earl Thomas is one of his mentors.  Thomas, an ex-Longhorn, was selected 14th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft.

Vaccaro chose Texas over Florida, Baylor, Oklahoma, and Stanford.

Vaccaro's favorite actor is Will Smith, and his favorite musical artist is Lil' Wayne.

Vaccaro's sports hero is Devin Hester.

Observations

Kenny Vaccaro has everything but straight-away speed.  Unfortunately, speed is one of the assets that general managers covet the most.  Because of this, Vaccaro may not make the top half of the first round.

The Texas standout's best asset is his versatilty.  Because he is athletic and physical, Vaccaro can play both safety positions and be a slot corner as well.

Vaccaro has been rumored to be on the Miami Dolphins' short list (via ESPN) and has always been linked to the Dallas Cowboys (via dallasnews.com). 

Ultimately, Vaccaro will be drafted in the first round and has the skill set to succeed in the NFL.