Zack Baun

Last updated

Zack Baun
ZackBaunUW2018 (cropped).jpg
Baun with Wisconsin in 2018
No. 53 – Philadelphia Eagles
Position: Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1996-12-30) December 30, 1996 (age 28)
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school: Brown Deer
College: Wisconsin (2015–2019)
NFL draft: 2020  / round: 3 / pick: 74
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Total tackles:239
Sacks:5.5
Forced fumbles:5
Fumble recoveries:1
Pass deflections:6
Interceptions:2
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Zack Baun (born December 30, 1996) is an American professional football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Wisconsin and was selected 74th overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 2020 NFL draft. He played four years in New Orleans before having a breakout year with the Eagles, being named a Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro, and finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Contents

Early life

Baun grew up in West Bend, Wisconsin and initially attended West Bend East High School. His family moved to Brown Deer, Wisconsin after his sophomore year and he transferred to Brown Deer High School, where he played basketball and football and ran track. Baun moved from playing wide receiver at West Bend to quarterback and linebacker at Brown Deer. [1] As a senior, Baun was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA) State Offensive Player of the Year and was also named Dave Krieg State Quarterback of the Year after passing for 1,936 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushing for 1,837 yards and a state-leading 39 touchdowns. [2] Baun committed to play college football at Wisconsin with the intention of gray shirting his freshman year. [3] In basketball, Baun was a starter for Brown Deer's 2013 WIAA Division II State Championship team and he placed in the Division II state track championship in both the 100 meter and 200 meter dashes. [4]

College career

Baun redshirted his true freshman season after breaking his left foot going into the season. [5] He appeared in 12 games as a redshirt freshman, making 15 tackles (3.5 for loss) with a forced fumble. Baun missed the entirety of his redshirt sophomore season after re-injuring his left foot during spring practices. [6] Baun was named a starter at outside linebacker for the Badgers going into his redshirt junior season and finished the season as the team's third-leading tackler with 63 stops (7.5 for a loss) with 2.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, one interception and a fumble recovery. [7]

Baun entered his redshirt senior season on the watchlist for the Butkus Award and was voted to be a team captain. [8] [9] He was named midseason All-American by the Associated Press and Sporting News after leading the Badgers in sacks (6), tackles for loss (10.5), and forced fumbles (2) through the first six games of the season. [10] [11] Baun finished the season with 76 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks and was named first team All-Big Ten and a first team All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and the Walter Camp Football Foundation. [12]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+3⁄8 in
(1.89 m)		238 lb
(108 kg)		32+3⁄4 in
(0.83 m)		9+5⁄8 in
(0.24 m)		4.65 s1.54 s2.74 s4.20 s7.00 s32.5 in
(0.83 m)		9 ft 7 in
(2.92 m)		24 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day [13] [14]

New Orleans Saints

Baun was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round with the 74th pick in the 2020 NFL draft. [15] Baun made his debut on September 21, 2020, on Monday Night Football against the Las Vegas Raiders, playing on special teams. [16]

On December 17, 2022, Baun was placed on season–ending injured reserve with a calf injury he had suffered in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens. [17]

Philadelphia Eagles

On March 13, 2024, Baun signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. [18] He transitioned to inside linebacker during the offseason. In Week 1 of the 2024 season, he recorded 15 total tackles and 2 sacks in his first career multi-sack game in a 34–29 win over the Green Bay Packers in São Paulo, Brazil. [19] He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week following his performance in Week 10, where he recorded two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in a 34–6 win over the Dallas Cowboys. [20] In 2024, Baun was selected to his first Pro Bowl. [21] In addition, Baun was named an Associated Press first-team All-Pro and nominated for Defensive Player of the Year, [22] placing fifth in the voting. [23]

On January 12, 2025, Baun recorded his first postseason interception against the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card playoff game. [24] He earned his second postseason interception against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, leading to an Eagles touchdown two plays later. [25] The Eagles went on to defeat the Chiefs by a score of 40–22, giving Baun his first Super Bowl championship. Baun ended the game as the Eagles' leading tackler, recording seven tackles and one interception. [26]

NFL career statistics

Legend
Won the Super Bowl
BoldCareer high
YearTeamGamesTacklesFumblesInterceptions
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckFFFRYdsTDIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
2020 NO 153127500000000000
2021 NO 1743022800000000000
2022 NO 1311611500000000000
2023 NO 1763020102.00000110101002
2024 PHI 171715294583.55100100004
7830239153865.55100210101006

Postseason

YearTeamGamesTacklesFumblesInterceptions
GPGSCmbSoloAstSckFFFRYdsTDIntYdsAvgLngTDPD
2020 NO 2032100000000000
2024 PHI 443320130.01200216161603
643622140.01200216161603

References

  1. ↑ Van Vooren, Tim (September 20, 2018). "UW linebacker growing on the field and on campus: 'It's important to not be 1-dimensional'". Fox6Now.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  2. ↑ Teitz, Steven (December 10, 2014). "Baun found a home, athletic success at Brown Deer". WhitefishBayNow.com. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  3. ↑ Kocorowski, Jake (October 26, 2014). "Wisconsin football recruiting: Brown Deer ATH Zack Baun accepts grayshirt offer as Badgers' 20th commit for 2015". Buckys5thQuarter.com. SB Nation . Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  4. ↑ Vazquez, Raul (October 3, 2019). "Zack Baun's development, leadership fuels Wisconsin's top-ranked defense". The Daily Cardinal . Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  5. ↑ Taylor, John (August 29, 2017). "Another Wisconsin linebacker lost for season with injury". NBCSports.com . Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ Potrykus, Jeff (April 10, 2018). "UW linebacker Zack Baun is out indefinitely with left foot injury". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel . Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  7. ↑ Becker, Brian (July 29, 2019). "Most Indispensable Badger - No. 6 Zack Baun". Badgers Wire. USA Today. Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  8. ↑ Barney, Erin (July 22, 2019). "Baun named to Butkus Award watch list". 247Sports.com . Retrieved October 30, 2019.
  9. ↑ Jenkins, Keith (September 15, 2019). "Zack Baun emerging as leader for stout Wisconsin defense". Yahoo Sports . Associated Press . Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  10. ↑ Russo, Ralph. "AP Midseason All-America Team: Burrow, Taylor lead 1st team". wfmz.com.
  11. ↑ Bender, Bill (October 16, 2019). "Sporting News 2019 midseason All-Americans". Sporting News. Retrieved December 30, 2024.
  12. ↑ Wilde, Jason (February 29, 2020). "For ex-Badgers linebacker Zack Baun, combine is a place where everybody knows your name". NewsOnTheNeck.com. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Zack Baun Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  14. ↑ "2020 NFL Draft Scout Zack Baun College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  15. ↑ "New Orleans Saints select Zack Baun with the 74th pick". New Orleans Saints.com. April 24, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  16. ↑ Mocklin, Anthony (September 24, 2020). "New Orleans Saints rookie roundup: Week 2 at the Las Vegas Raiders". CanalStreetChronicles.com. SB Nation . Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  17. ↑ Waack, Terrin (December 17, 2022). "Saints place LB Zack Baun on injured reserve but activate another 2 from the list". NOLA.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  18. ↑ McPherson, Chris (March 13, 2024). "Eagles agree to terms with Zack Baun on a 1-year contract". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  19. ↑ Mosley, Kyle T. (September 7, 2024). "Former Saints Linebacker Steals The Show In Eagles Debut". SI.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  20. ↑ McPherson, Chris (November 13, 2024). "Zack Baun named NFC Defensive Player of the Week". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  21. ↑ McAvoy, Patrick (January 2, 2025). "NFL Pro Bowl Selections: These 6 Eagles Selected To Represent Philly". Philadelphia Eagles On SI. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Zack Baun, Saquon Barkley among Philadelphia Eagles 2024 AP All-Pros". CBS News. January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 11, 2025.
  23. ↑ Baun, Watt narrowly miss out on NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 6, 2025
  24. ↑ Hall, Mike (January 13, 2025). "Former Wisconsin linebacker snags interception in Eagles playoff win over the Packers". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  25. ↑ Dubin, Jared (February 11, 2025). "'Imma get one': Eagles' Zack Baun predicted that he would intercept Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl". CBSSports.com. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Super Bowl LIX - Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles - February 9th, 2025". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 11, 2025.
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