Multiple NFL teams have a "big-time" interest in Vanderbilt coach James Franklin, NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported via Twitter Sunday morning:
Franklin's name also has been linked to top college coaching jobs, including USC and Texas, but the Commodores' coach has refused comment on any such possibilities.
Franklin has led Vandy to three consecutive bowl games in his first three seasons as coach, unprecedented initial success at a program that has historically struggled in the SEC. Last month, Vandy defeated in-state rival Tennessee for the second consecutive season under Franklin, the first back-to-back Vanderbilt wins over the Volunteers since the 1920s.
Earlier this month, Franklin's named surfaced among a group of coaches identified by an NFL committee, the Career Development Advisory Panel, as top minority candidates.
The USC job was filled by Steve Sarkisian, while the Texas position remains open. The NFL's Houston Texans have a head-coach opening, but appear to be targeting other candidates, and might even be closing in on Penn State's Bill O'Brien.
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