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Zach VanValkenburg

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Zach VanValkenburg
No. 57 – Los Angeles Rams
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1998-02-17) February 17, 1998 (age 26)
Zeeland, Michigan, U.S.
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:260 lb (118 kg)
Career information
High school:Zeeland West (MI)
College:Hillsdale (2016–2018)
Iowa (2019–2021)
Undrafted:2022
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:9
Sacks:1.0
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Zach VanValkenburg (born February 17, 1998) is an American professional football linebacker who is a free agent. He played college football at Hillsdale before transferring to Iowa and was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Early life

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VanValkenburg was born on February 17, 1998, in Zeeland, Michigan. He attended Zeeland West High School, and was a three-year player at linebacker and defensive end. As a junior, he earned all-conference honors. As a senior, VanValkenburg was team captain and made 85 tackles, earning first-team all-state, all-conference, and Holland Sentinel Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as being named to the Detroit Free Press Dream Team. In addition to playing football, VanValkenburg was also a four-year letterman in wrestling, earning all-state honors, and played four seasons on the track team.[1]

College career

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VanValkenburg declined offers from Holy Cross and Air Force to commit to Hillsdale College.[2] After suffering an injury early into his true freshman season, 2016, he decided to redshirt.[3] As a second-year freshman in the 2017 season, VanValkenburg compiled a total of 32 tackles to go along with 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and a blocked kick. He earned Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in 2018, after posting 70 total tackles, including 14.5 for-loss, and 8.5 sacks along with three fumbles forced.[1][4]

After receiving a degree in history following the 2018 season, VanValkenburg decided to transfer as a college graduate to Iowa for his final two years of football eligibility.[3][5][6] He had previously "emailed every coach in the country" looking for places to transfer, but Iowa was one of only two schools to reply.[3] He was not given a scholarship, and had to make the team as a walk-on.[3] He spent the 2019 season as a backup to A. J. Epenesa and Chauncey Golston, both of whom went on to play in the National Football League (NFL).[3] In the season, VanValkenburg recorded six tackles and appeared in a total of 11 games.[1]

VanValkenburg was named as a backup to John Waggoner to start the 2020 season, but became a starter in the first week after an injury to the latter.[3] He ended up starting all eight games in a season shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, and made a total of 30 tackles, 8.5 for-loss, and 3.5 sacks. He also recorded four fumble recoveries, tying for first place nationally, and made one forced fumble. He was named at the end of the season a second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection by the coaches of the league and a fourth-team choice by Phil Steele.[1]

Although 2020 was supposed to be VanValkenburg's final season of collegiate football, he was given an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 and opted to return to the team in 2021. He started all 14 games that year and recorded 58 total tackles along with 5.5 sacks and 15 tackles-for-loss.[7] He was given the Hayden Fry Award for defensive most valuable player and was named second-team all-conference by the league's coaches and Associated Press (AP).[8] Phil Steele named him a third-team selection, and VanValkenburg additionally was a quarterfinalist for the Lott Trophy.[1]

VanValkenburg finished his six-year college career with a total of 60 games played (48 as a starter), and 211 tackles, 42.5 for-loss, 22 sacks, and five forced fumbles.[1] He graduated with a master's degree in Eastern European Studies.[3]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 4+1⁄2 in
(1.94 m) 		263 lb
(119 kg) 		31+3⁄8 in
(0.80 m) 		10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 4.97 s 1.74 s 2.78 s 4.41 s 7.03 s 31.5 in
(0.80 m)		 9 ft 5 in
(2.87 m)		 22 reps
All values from Iowa's Pro Day[9]

Las Vegas Raiders

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After going unselected in the 2022 NFL draft, VanValkenburg was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent.[10][11] He was waived at the final roster cuts, on August 30, and was subsequently signed to the practice squad.[12][13] He was released from the practice squad on September 6.[14]

Los Angeles Rams

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On September 20, 2022, VanValkenburg was signed to the practice squad of the Los Angeles Rams.[15] He signed a reserve/futures contract on January 9, 2023.[16] He made the final roster in 2023 and made his NFL debut in week one against the Seattle Seahawks.[17][18] He was waived on November 14, 2023, and re-signed to the practice squad.[19][20] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 15, 2024.[21]

VanValkenburg was waived by the Rams on August 27, 2024, and re-signed to the practice squad.[22] He was released on October 25.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Zach VanValkenburg". hawkeyesports.com. Iowa Hawkeyes. April 10, 2020.
  2. ^ "Zeeland West 2016 DE Zach VanValkenburg has committed to Hillsdale". football.thedzone.com. The D Zone. 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Hlas, Mike (October 12, 2021). "Iowa's Zach VanValkenburg: Pass-rushing student of Russian". The Gazette.
  4. ^ Vann, Leah (August 5, 2021). "Zach VanValkenburg learning to own his role as a leader on Iowa defensive line". The Gazette.
  5. ^ Eickholt, David (February 16, 2019). "Grad Transfer DE Zach VanValkenburg commits to Iowa". 247Sports.
  6. ^ Dochterman, Scott (February 18, 2019). "Iowa welcomes defensive lineman Zach VanValkenburg, a D-II grad transfer who could find the field right away". The Athletic.
  7. ^ Batterson, Steve (March 27, 2022). "Hawkeyes' VanValkenburg prepared to adapt to NFL". Muscatine Journal.
  8. ^ Steppe, John (March 22, 2022). "NFL teams 'know what you're getting with' Iowa's Zach VanValkenburg". The Gazette.
  9. ^ "2022 NFL Draft Scout Zach VanValkenburg College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
  10. ^ D'Addona, Dan (April 30, 2022). "Zeeland West's Zach VanValkenburg signs as undrafted free agent with Raiders". Holland Sentinel.
  11. ^ Kaminski, Steve (April 30, 2022). "Las Vegas Raiders sign Zeeland's Zach VanValkenburg". MLive.com. Booth Newspapers.
  12. ^ Mosher, Marcus (August 30, 2022). "Raiders trim roster down to 53, announce all cuts". USA Today.
  13. ^ "Raiders announce practice squad additions". raiders.com. Las Vegas Raiders. August 31, 2022.
  14. ^ Damien, Levi (September 6, 2022). "Raiders re-sign G Alex Bars, WR Keelan Cole to practice squad". USA Today.
  15. ^ Stuter, Bret (September 20, 2022). "Why LA Rams chose wisely in signing DE Zach VanValkenburg". ramblinfan.com. FanSided.
  16. ^ @RamsNFL (January 9, 2023). "LA Rams Transactions: • Reserve/Future Contracts TE Roger Carter, DB T.J. Carter, DE T.J. Carter, DB Richard LeCounte, T Max Pircher, WR Jaquarii Roberson, WR Jerreth Sterns, DE Brayden Thomas, DE Zach VanValkenburg" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  17. ^ DaSilva, Cameron (August 29, 2023). "Here is the Rams' initial 53-man roster for 2023". USA Today. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  18. ^ "Zach VanValkenburg Career Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  19. ^ Ulrich, Logan (November 14, 2023). "Rams Make Two Roster Moves". NFLTradeRumors.co. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  20. ^ DaSilva, Cameron (November 16, 2023). "Rams bring back OLB Zach VanValkenburg by signing him to practice squad". USA Today. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  21. ^ Jackson, Stu (January 15, 2024). "Rams sign 15 players to Reserve/Future contracts". TheRams.com. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  22. ^ Jackson, Stu (August 28, 2024). "Rams sign 17 players to initial practice squad for 2024 season". TheRams.com.
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