Paul Kruger (American football)
Encyclopedia
Paul Kruger is an American football
linebacker
for the Baltimore Ravens
. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Utah
.
as a senior in 2003 at Timpanogos High School
in Orem, Utah
. He was the team captain and lettered all four years. Kruger was ranked in the top 30 quarterbacks nationally by Student Sports.
From 2005-2007 he served a 2 year mission for the LDS church in the Kansas City area (The Missouri Independence Mission).
. He was a member of two undefeated teams: signed with the University of Utah
Utes
as a quarterback in 2004 and was a redshirt on the 12-0, Fiesta Bowl
champion team
. He started at right end for Utah's 2008 13-0, Sugar Bowl
champion team
.
Kruger redshirted his freshman year of 2004, after which he served a two-year mission in Kansas and Missouri for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, returning to the football field in the fall of 2007.
In 2007 he was a Sporting News and Scout.com
second-team Freshman All-American. He was also honorable mention All-Mountain West. Kruger played in all 13 games and started the last 11 at right end. His 63 tackles were the most among the league's freshman linemen and the second-best freshman total at any position and ranked fourth on the team. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception. Kruger helped lead a Utes’ defense that ranked 11th in the nation against the run (99.2 ypg) and 11th-overall in total defense (289.2 ypg).
In January 2008, Kruger survived a brawl with what police suspected was a Las Vegas gang in which he was stabbed in the abdomen, a screwdriver was driven through the back of a Ute teammate and brass knuckles were used to break the nose and shatter the cheekbone of his younger brother. The fight left Kruger with "life-threatening injuries" that required nearly 50 staples to close the incisions made during a four-hour surgery. He was held out of spring practices but returned to the field in the fall.
As a sophomore in 2008, he was a first-team All-Mountain West defensive lineman. Sports Illustrated
and College Football News
named him honorable mention All-America
n. He played and started in all 13 games at right end. He led Utah and ranked second in the conference in tackles for loss (16.5) and was third in the league in sacks (7.5). He had seven pass breakups, which ranked second on the team, as well as two forced fumbles. His 61 total tackles ranked fifth on the team. He had four sacks (all solo) against Utah State that tied the school record and was the best single-game total in the country. His five TFL in that same game was the second-best mark in school history. He intercepted a pass against BYU and returned it 30 yards.
.
(* represents NFL Combine
; **represents University of Utah Pro Day)
by the Baltimore Ravens
.
On November 29, 2009, in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, Kruger intercepted a Dennis Dixon
pass in overtime to set the Ravens up for a game-winning 29-yard field goal by kicker
Billy Cundiff
.
During the 2010 offseason Kruger was looking to bulk up in order to make the move from linebacker to defensive end in Baltimore's 3-4 defense mostly because of the lack of playing time he saw at OLB. He is now up to 274 pounds.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
. He was drafted by the Ravens in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft
2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Utah
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
.
Early years
Kruger was an All-conference and preseason All-America quarterbackQuarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
as a senior in 2003 at Timpanogos High School
Timpanogos High School
Timpanogos High School is a public high school in Orem, Utah. Opened to its first students in August 1996, it became part of the Alpine School District of Utah County. The school mascot is the Timberwolf and the official school colors are navy blue, forest green, and white...
in Orem, Utah
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
. He was the team captain and lettered all four years. Kruger was ranked in the top 30 quarterbacks nationally by Student Sports.
From 2005-2007 he served a 2 year mission for the LDS church in the Kansas City area (The Missouri Independence Mission).
College career
After an all-conference sophomore season in 2008, he decided to forego his final two years of college eligibility to enter the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
. He was a member of two undefeated teams: signed with the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
Utes
Utah Utes football
The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles...
as a quarterback in 2004 and was a redshirt on the 12-0, Fiesta Bowl
2005 Fiesta Bowl
The 2005 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, played on January 1, 2005, was the 34th edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game was played between Utah and Pittsburgh, in front of 73,519 fans. It is notable for being the first BCS game to feature a team from a non-BCS conference, and the only BCS bowl to feature a...
champion team
2004 Utah Utes football team
The 2004 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2004–2005. This team was the original 'BCS Buster', meaning, this was the first time that a team from a non-BCS conference was invited to play in one of the BCS bowl games. The team, coached by 2nd...
. He started at right end for Utah's 2008 13-0, Sugar Bowl
2009 Sugar Bowl
The 2009 Allstate Sugar Bowl was the 75th annual edition of the annual college football bowl game that is part of the 2008–09 bowl season of the Bowl Championship Series 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season...
champion team
2008 Utah Utes football team
The 2008 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by 4th year head football coach Kyle Whittingham, plays its home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium...
.
Career statistics
Source:| YEAR | TEAM | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 2007 Utah Utes football team The 2007 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2007-2008. The team was coached by 3rd year head football coach Kyle Whittingham... |
Utah Utah Utes football The Utah Utes football program is a college football team that currently competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of the Football Bowl Subdivision of NCAA Division I and represents the University of Utah. The Utah college football program began in 1892 and has played home games at Rice–Eccles... |
13 | 11 | 24 | 39 | 63 | 7.5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2008 2008 Utah Utes football team The 2008 Utah Utes football team represented the University of Utah in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by 4th year head football coach Kyle Whittingham, plays its home games in Rice–Eccles Stadium... |
Utah | 13 | 13 | 30 | 31 | 61 | 16.5 | 7.5 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Totals | 26 | 24 | 55 | 69 | 124 | 24 | 10.5 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 2 | |
Kruger redshirted his freshman year of 2004, after which he served a two-year mission in Kansas and Missouri for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, returning to the football field in the fall of 2007.
In 2007 he was a Sporting News and Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
second-team Freshman All-American. He was also honorable mention All-Mountain West. Kruger played in all 13 games and started the last 11 at right end. His 63 tackles were the most among the league's freshman linemen and the second-best freshman total at any position and ranked fourth on the team. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception. Kruger helped lead a Utes’ defense that ranked 11th in the nation against the run (99.2 ypg) and 11th-overall in total defense (289.2 ypg).
In January 2008, Kruger survived a brawl with what police suspected was a Las Vegas gang in which he was stabbed in the abdomen, a screwdriver was driven through the back of a Ute teammate and brass knuckles were used to break the nose and shatter the cheekbone of his younger brother. The fight left Kruger with "life-threatening injuries" that required nearly 50 staples to close the incisions made during a four-hour surgery. He was held out of spring practices but returned to the field in the fall.
As a sophomore in 2008, he was a first-team All-Mountain West defensive lineman. Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
and College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
named him honorable mention All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n. He played and started in all 13 games at right end. He led Utah and ranked second in the conference in tackles for loss (16.5) and was third in the league in sacks (7.5). He had seven pass breakups, which ranked second on the team, as well as two forced fumbles. His 61 total tackles ranked fifth on the team. He had four sacks (all solo) against Utah State that tied the school record and was the best single-game total in the country. His five TFL in that same game was the second-best mark in school history. He intercepted a pass against BYU and returned it 30 yards.
Pre-draft
Kruger was considered a top defensive end prospect for the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
.
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||||||
| Ht | Wt | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yd split | 20-yd split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-4¼ * | 263 lb * | 4.79 ** | 1.58 * | 2.78 ** | 4.47 * | 7.52 * | 32½ in. * | 9'01" ** | 24 * | 25 * |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
; **represents University of Utah Pro Day)
Baltimore Ravens
On April 25, 2009, Kruger was selected in the second round (57th overall pick) of the 2009 NFL Draft2009 NFL Draft
The 2009 NFL Draft was the seventy-fourth annual meeting of National Football League franchises to select newly eligible football players. The draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 25 and 26, 2009. The draft consisted of two rounds on the first day starting at 4:00...
by the Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland.The Baltimore Ravens are officially a quasi-expansion franchise, having originated in 1995 with the Cleveland Browns relocation controversy after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced his...
.
On November 29, 2009, in a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, Kruger intercepted a Dennis Dixon
Dennis Dixon
Dennis Lee Dixon, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
pass in overtime to set the Ravens up for a game-winning 29-yard field goal by kicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Billy Cundiff
Billy Cundiff
William A. "Billy" Cundiff is an American football placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
.
During the 2010 offseason Kruger was looking to bulk up in order to make the move from linebacker to defensive end in Baltimore's 3-4 defense mostly because of the lack of playing time he saw at OLB. He is now up to 274 pounds.