Travis Vokolek reportedly signing with Baltimore Ravens as UFDA

Travis Vokolek did not get selected in the NFL Draft, but he is still on his way to beginning his pro career.

Per NFL reporter Matt Lombardo, the former Nebraska tight end has reportedly signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. Vokolek is the third former Husker thus far who is officially heading to the NFL as EDGE Ochaun Mathis and receiver Trey Palmer were drafted in the sixth round by the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, respectively.

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Vokolek spent his first two seasons at Rutgers before transferring to Nebraska in 2019. He had to sit out that season due to NCAA transfer rules, but he suited up for the Huskers from 2020-22.

Vokolek finished with 40 receptions for 458 yards and two touchdowns across 27 games. His two biggest highlights came as a senior. He hauled in six catches for 46 yards and caught a momentum-shifting, game-changing touchdown against his former school during the Huskers' 14-13 win over Rutgers. And he broke free for a 56-yard, catch-and-run touchdown against Illinois a few weeks later.

In his first year in Lincoln, Vokolek caught nine passes for 91 yards while playing in all eight games – including four starts – during the shortened 2020 season. After that season, Vokolek struggled with injuries. He missed five games as a junior and senior, playing in 19 of a possible 24 games.

He set career highs as a senior with 20 catches, 240 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

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Vokolek, who officially measured in at 6-foot-6 and 259 pounds at the NFL Combine in March, is more of a throwback tight end. He has good size for an NFL tight end, but his strength lies in his blocking rather than his pass catching. Along with his attitude, that's what Vokolek believes he brings to a pro organization.

“You're gonna receive a guy who's a hard worker, he's loyal, he’s unselfish," Vokolek said. "He's gonna show up and do his job every day. He’s just gonna push his teammates and himself to be the best player out there. It’s all about the team with me. As a captain at Nebraska, I think my leadership is great. As a young guy in college, I was kind of a lead by example guy, and then really filled a role in being a vocal leader when I got to Nebraska. I think I'd bring a lot to the table and could do a lot of good.

“I really take a lot of pride in my run blocking. There’s a lot of tight ends out there that want to go out and just catch balls. I take a lot of pride doing the dirty work, in-line being physical and blocking on the perimeter. And then going out there to catch balls in open space and using my body and being a big-bodied target. I think I need to work on just my pad level. Being a tall guy, at times you tend to get too high, so that’s something I need to work on.”

Vokolek was known for his leadership at Nebraska, especially during the 2022 season when he was named a team captain.

Along with fellow captain Garrett Nelson, Vokolek led the movement to keep the Huskers' locker room together as the team went through the trials of coaching changes early on in 2022 with both head coach Scott Frost and defensive coordinator Erik Chinander getting fired.

“It was a struggle at times," Vokolek said. "It was hard. But I learned you just got to keep fighting with everything you do, no matter how many times you get knocked down. No matter how many times things don't go your way, no matter how many times we've lost close games. That's something with the locker room in Nebraska – no one gave up when we were there.

"This past season, guys just kept fighting for each other. So just continue to fight, continue to give it your best every day. Eventually, good things will happen. ... There were a lot of positives. Guys continued to fight, we stuck together through adversity. When adversity hits, you find out a lot about someone, whether they’re gonna give up or keep fighting and stick together. That’s something that was huge for us and had a lot of benefits for us as a locker room and culture at Nebraska.”

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