Ben Gardner

For the British trade unionist, see Benjamin Gardner.
Ben Gardner

refer to caption

Gardner in 2013
No. 49 San Diego Chargers
Position: Outside Linebacker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1991-04-29) April 29, 1991
Place of birth: Portland, Oregon
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight: 270 lb (122 kg)
Career information
High school: Mequon (WI) Homestead
College: Stanford
NFL draft: 2014 / Round: 7 / Pick: 231
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status: Practice squad
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Benjamin David Gardner (born April 29, 1991) is an American football outside linebacker for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford.

Early years

Gardner graduated in 2009 from Homestead High School (Mequon, Wisconsin). As a senior in 2008-09, Gardner was a team captain and defensive end on the football team which won the Wisconsin Division 1 state championship. As a 11yr-14yr old he played as a cardinal football player and many people in that group looked up to him as a hero.[1] Gardner received numerous top honors including 2008 Associated Press 1st-team All-State;[2] 2008 WFCA 1st-Team All-State;[3] 2008 all-North Shore Conference First;[3] and 2008 North Shore Conference Defensive Player of the Year.[3]

College career

Stanford Cardinal football is known for its 3-4 defense schemes, more typically seen in the NFL. Gardner was a three-year starter at DE in the Stanford 3-4 system, which was ranked among the nation’s top defensive units.[4]

Freshman / Sophomore years 2009 / 2010

Gardner did not see field action in his freshman year (2009). As a sophomore or "redshirt freshman" in 2010, Gardner saw action in 11 games on special teams and as a second-string defensive end. He logged three tackles, including two tackles for loss and one sack.[5]

Junior year 2011

In 2011, he started 12 of 13 games, including the Fiesta Bowl vs. 13th nationally ranked Oklahoma state. Gardner recorded 35 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.[6] He was named to the All-Pac-12 Conference 2nd Team,[7] and received Stanford’s Deswarte-Eller Award honoring the most outstanding (redshirt) sophomore.[8] Gardner ranked 13th in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss per game, and 16th in sacks per game.[9] He had a season-high five tackles and one sack vs. California [10] and a season-high 2.5 tackles for loss vs. Arizona.[11]

Senior year 2012

Gardner started all 14 games of the 2012 season, including the Pac-12 Championship Game vs. UCLA and the 2013 Rose Bowl vs. Wisconsin. Gardner tied for second on the Stanford team with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.[9] He also ranked among the nation’s top 75 in both categories.[9] Against #2-ranked USC,[12] Gardner won Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors for registering 6 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and one sack, holding USC to 26 rushing yards.[13] Playing at #7-ranked Notre Dame,[14] Gardner made two solo tackles, one fumble recovery, and one sack which caused a fumble that was recovered for a Stanford touchdown.[15] Gardner’s season also included 49 tackles, 5 passes broken up, and 2 QB hurries.[16]

5th year Senior 2013

He chose to return to Stanford for a 5th year in 2013, rather than enter the NFL Draft, but it ended early because of a torn pectoral muscle he suffered against Oregon State University. .[17]

Professional career

Dallas Cowboys

Gardner was selected in the seventh round (231 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.[18] On August 26, he was placed on the injured reserve list after having surgery to repair torn ligaments in his left shoulder. The next year, the team brought in new talent at the defensive end position (Greg Hardy, Randy Gregory, Ryan Rusell) and he was eventually waived on September 5, 2015.[19]

San Diego Chargers

Gardner was signed to the Chargers Practice Squad November 4th, 2015.

References

  1. ↑ JSOnline.com,http://www.jsonline.com/sports/preps/34911424.html,accessed Oct. 11, 2013.
  2. ↑ AP Wisconsin HS Football All-State Team,http://www.waow.com/story/9415060/ap-announces-wisconsin-high-school-football-all-state-team,accessed Oct. 11, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 GoStanford.com Player Bio,http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208167687&DB_OEM_ID=30600,accessed Oct. 11, 2013.
  4. ↑ top defensive units,http://cfn.scout.com/2/1301721.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ cfbstats.com/Ben Gardner,http://www.cfbstats.com/2010/player/674/1026154/index.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013.
  6. ↑ cfbstats.com/Ben Gardner,http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/player/674/1026154/index.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013.
  7. ↑ All-Pac-12 Conference Team,http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/30623/coaches-all-pac-12-teams-announced,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  8. ↑ Stanford's Deswarte-Eller Award,http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208157609,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  9. 1 2 3 GoStanford.com Player Bio,http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208167687&DB_OEM_ID=30600,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  10. ↑ cfbstats.com/Ben Gardner,http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/player/674/1026154/tackle/gamelog.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  11. ↑ cfbstats.com/Ben Gardner,http://www.cfbstats.com/2011/player/674/1026154/tackleforloss/gamelog.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  12. ↑
    1. 2-ranked USC,http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=322590024,accessed Sep. 29, 2012
  13. ↑ Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week,http://espn.go.com/blog/pac12/post/_/id/45120/pac-12-players-of-the-week-15,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  14. ↑
    1. 7-ranked Notre Dame,http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/ncaa/gameflash/2012/10/13/49820/index.html,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  15. ↑ Golson was drilled in his end zone by Stanford's Ben Gardner,http://espn.go.com/blog/notre-dame-football/post/_/id/10148/turnovers-alarming-but-still-work-in-progress, accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  16. ↑ GoStanford 2012 Season Statistics,http://www.gostanford.com/ViewContent.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=30600&CONTENT_ID=781647,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  17. ↑ Stanford Daily,http://www.stanforddaily.com/2013/01/05/football-after-winning-rose-bowl-shayne-skov-and-ben-gardner-will-return-to-stanford-to-pursue-2013-national-championship/,accessed Sep. 29, 2013
  18. ↑ "http://www.dallascowboys.com/news/article-RowanKavner/Cowboys-Go-All-Defense-With-Five-Seventh-Rounders/c62b542c-49ac-4a80-9ff7-4617c9d1382a". Dallascowboys.com. 10 May 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2014. External link in |title= (help)
  19. ↑ Helman, David (September 5, 2015). "Vaughan, Showers Among Notable Cuts As Cowboys Meet 53-Man Roster Limit". DallasCowboys.com. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
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