Ben Gedeon

Benjamin Gedeon (born October 16, 1994) is an American football linebacker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Michigan. Gedeon was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Ben Gedeon

Gedeon playing for Michigan in 2016
Free agent
Position:	Linebacker
Personal information
Born:	October 16, 1994 Hudson, Ohio
Height:	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:	244 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school:	Hudson (Hudson, Ohio)
College:	Michigan
NFL Draft:	2017 / Round: 4 / Pick: 120
Career history
Minnesota Vikings (2017–2020)
Career highlights and awards
Second-team All-Big Ten (2016)
Career NFL statistics as of 2019
Total tackles: 103 Sacks: 0.0 Forced fumbles: 0 Fumble recoveries: 0 Interceptions: 0 Player stats at NFL.com

College career

Gedeon appeared in 51 games and made 14 starting assignments at linebacker, ultimately recording 176 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 21 tackles-for-loss and two pass breakups. As a senior, he posted a career best 106 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks and two pass breakups. Following the 2016 season, Gedeon was named to the All-Big Ten defensive second-team by the media.[1]

Statistics

NCAA Collegiate Career statistics
Michigan Wolverines
Season	Tackles					Interceptions						Fumbles
	Total	Solo	Ast	Sck	Tfl	PDef	Int	Yards	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF	FR	FR Yds	TDs
2013	19	9	10	1.0	1.0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2014	17	12	5	1.0	1.5	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2015	34	21	13	0.0	3.0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2016	94	39	55	4.5	15.0	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0
NCAA Career Totals	164	81	83	6.5	20.5	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Professional career

Gedeon was ranked as the No. 9 inside linebacker in the 2017 NFL draft by CBBSSports.com and was projected to go in the fourth or fifth round according to NFL.com.[2] Gedeon was one of the top performers at the 2017 NFL Combine. Gedeon finished atop all linebackers in the bench press, lifting 225 pounds 27 times. He also tied for the best 20-yard shuttle (4.13 seconds), was third in the 60-yard shuttle (11.58 seconds), had the seventh-best vertical jump (34.5 inches), was ninth in the 3-cone drill (6.98 seconds) and was twelfth with a 119-inch broad jump.[3]

External video
Gedeon performing at the 2017 NFL Combine

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand size	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
6 ft 1 ^3⁄4 in (1.87 m)	244 lb (111 kg)	^5⁄8 in (0.02 m)	10 in (0.25 m)	4.75 s	1.66 s	2.77 s	4.13 s	6.98 s	34.5 in (0.88 m)	9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)	27 reps
All values are from NFL Combine[4]

2017

The Minnesota Vikings selected Gedeon in fourth round (120th overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft.[5][6] He was the first of two linebackers drafted by the Vikings in 2017, along with Elijah Lee.

External video
Gedeon gets drafted by the Vikings

On May 26, 2017, the Minnesota Vikings signed a Gedeon to a four-year, $3.03 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $633,147.[7]

Throughout training camp, Gedeon competed against Emmanuel Lamur, Edmond Robinson, Elijah Lee, and Kentrell Brothers for the job as the starting weakside linebacker after it was left vacant due to the retirement of Chad Greenway.[8] Head coach Mike Zimmer named Gedeon the starting weakside linebacker, along with Anthony Barr and middle linebacker Eric Kendricks.[9]

He made his regular season debut and first career start in the Minnesota Vikings' season-opener against the New Orleans Saints and recorded a solo tackle during their 29-19 victory. On December 31, 2017, Gedeon collected a season-high six combined tackles in the Vikings' 23-10 win against the Chicago Bears. Gedeon finished his rookie season with 37 combined tackles (23 solo) in 16 games and nine starts.[10]

The Minnesota Vikings finished first in the NFC North with a 13-3 record and received a first round bye. On January 14, 2018, Gedeon played in first career playoff game and assisted on one tackle in a 29-24 victory against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Divisional round. They lost to the Philadelphia Eagles who became the eventual Super Bowl LII Champions.[11]

2018

Gedeon entered training camp slated as the starting weakside linebacker. Head coach Mike Zimmer named Gedeon and Anthony Barr the starting outside linebackers. They started alongside middle linebacker Eric Kendricks.[12] In Week 14, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 21-7 loss at the Seattle Seahawks. He finished the season with 53 combined tackles (29 solo) and two pass deflections in 15 games and eight starts.[10]

2019

Gedeon opened the 2019 season as a starting linebacker for the Vikings. He played in eight games with five starts before suffering a concussion in Week 11. He was placed on injured reserve on December 2, 2019.[13]

2020

Gedeon was placed on the active/physically unable to perform list (PUP) at the start of training camp on August 3, 2020.[14] He was moved to the reserve/PUP list to start the regular season on September 5.[15] He was waived with a failed physical designation on November 10, 2020.[16]

Career statistics

Season		Games		Tackles				Interceptions						Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Comb	Total	Ast	Sck	PDef	Int	Yds	Avg	Lng	TDs	FF	FR
2017	Minnesota Vikings	16	9	37	23	14	0.0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2018	Minnesota Vikings	15	8	53	29	24	0.0	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2019	Minnesota Vikings	8	5	13	8	5	0.0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Total		39	22	103	60	43	0.0	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0

References

1. "Peppers, Lewis Lead All 11 Defenders Honored by B1G". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. November 29, 2016. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
2. "Ben Gedeon Draft profile". NFL.com. April 9, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2017.
3. Wolverines' Ben Gedeon impresses with NFL combine testing
4. "Benjamin Gedeon Combine Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
5. "Quartet of Wolverines Go So Far on Third Day of NFL Draft". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
6. "Vikings Select Michigan LB Ben Gedeon". Vikings.com. April 29, 2017. Archived from the original on April 29, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
7. "Spotrac.com: Ben Gedeon contract". spotrac.com. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
8. Borman, Sean (June 7, 2017). "Zimmer Confirms Open Competition at Will Linebacker". vikingsterritory.com. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
9. Horstman, Terry (September 5, 2017). "Vikings first depth chart features 3 rookies in starting roles". vikingswire.usatoday.com. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
10. "NFL Player stats: Ben Gedeon (career)". NFL.com. Retrieved February 25, 2018.
11. "NFL Player stats: Ben Gedeon (2017)". Retrieved February 25, 2018.
12. "Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart". KFgO.com. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
13. Gantt, Darin (December 2, 2019). "Vikings putting Ben Gedeon on IR". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
14. "Vikings Announce Roster Moves to Set Roster at 80 Players". Vikings.com. August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
15. Peters, Craig and Eric Smith (September 5, 2020). "Vikings Announce Roster Moves, Set Initial 53-Man Roster". Vikings.com. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
16. "Vikings Activate LB Todd Davis from Reserve/COVID-19; Announce Roster Moves". Vikings.com. November 10, 2020.

External links

• Michigan Wolverines bio