Kyler Fackrell

Kyler Fackrell
refer to caption
Fackrell in the 2017 NFL preseason
No. 51 – Green Bay Packers
Position: Outside linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1991-11-25) November 25, 1991
Mesa, Arizona
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight: 245 lb (111 kg)
Career information
High school: Mesa (Mesa, Arizona)
College: Utah State
NFL Draft: 2016 / Round: 3 / Pick: 88
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career NFL statistics as of Week 4, 2018
Total tackles: 52
Sacks: 8.0
Pass deflections: 1
Interceptions: 0
Forced fumbles: 1
Player stats at NFL.com

Kyler Bruce Fackrell (born November 25, 1991) is an American football outside linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played high school football at Mesa High School in Mesa, Arizona before attending Utah State and playing for their football team on a scholarship. At Utah State, he was a four-year starter at linebacker where he was named to multiple All-Conference teams. He was drafted after his senior year of college by the Green Bay Packers in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Early years

Fackrell attended Mesa High School in Mesa, Arizona. He played linebacker, quarterback, and wide receiver for the Jackrabbits football team. In his senior year, he played three games at quarterback, 11 as a receiver, and played in all 14 games at linebacker. His team finished second in the state playoffs. He had 68 tackles (25 solo), eight passes defensed, two interceptions and forced a fumble on the defensive side of the ball. On offense, he had 36 receptions totaling 662 yards and five touchdowns; he also had 22 rushes for 159 yards and three touchdowns. As a quarterback, he completed 22 of 38 passes for 334 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. In addition to football, he also lettered in basketball and volleyball.[1]

Fackrell was not highly recruited coming out of high school and was only offered one division-one scholarship from Utah State. Utah State decided to offer him a scholarship because one of his high school coaches knew an assistant coach there, which caused the university to take a look at him. Additionally, his father played for Utah State as a defensive end and his mother was a cheerleader.[2]

College career

Fackrell took a year off after high school and made a living painting houses while deciding whether or not to go on a Mormon mission.[3] He ultimately decided to accept the scholarship to play football for the Utah State Aggies and received redshirt status his freshman year. In his first year of eligibility, he started all 13 games for the Aggies and had a career-high in sacks against San Jose State University; the team set a school single-game record with 13 total sacks in the game. He went on to block a field goal against New Mexico State.[1] He finished the year as the first player in the school's history to be named a Freshman All-American and the fourth to win All-Conference First Team honors.[4][5]

As a sophomore, Fackrell continued to impress as he again started all 14 games and led the team with 13 tackles for loss and also had two forced fumbles and five sacks. He had a career-high in tackles against BYU and was the Mountain West's Defensive Player of the week. During the game against Hawaii, he intercepted a pass and returned it 99 yards for his first career touchdown; the return ranks as the third longest in school history. During a game later that year against Weber State, he caught a 4-yard pass and became the first person since 1964 in Utah State's history to have an offensive and defensive touchdown in the same season.[1] His efforts earned him a spot on the All-Conference Second Team.[6]

Fackrell's junior season was cut short by injury in the second quarter in the season opener against the Tennessee Volunteers as he suffered an ACL injury. He missed the rest of the year.[3]

Coming back from the injury the next season, Fackrell started all 13 games and ranked first in the country with five fumble recoveries. On top of that, he also ranked first on the team with 15 tackles for loss and broke the school-record for 12 quarterback hurries; he also finished second in the season with 4 sacks. Two of those forced fumbles happened in a game against Boise State and he added a defensive touchdown when he recovered one of them in the endzone. He was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Week two times that season. He finished his last year with the Aggies by being named a fourth-team All-American by Phil Steele and a First Team Conference selection.[7][8]

Professional career

Fackrell was projected by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com to be a third round pick. He stated that he possessed "premium" athleticism and cited his multiple-sport career and high school. He also complimented his tackling ability and believed he was capable of becoming a pass rusher and mentioned his good cover ability.[9] However, concerns were also brought up about his age, as he was one of the oldest players in the draft, and was coming back from an injury. One AFC scout mentioned that he was really talented but he can no longer play in space since his injury. Another AFC scout also mentioned that he had not been the same since the injury. During the NFL Combine, Fackrell commented that doctors were very interested in his knee. He also commented that scouts did not seem concerned about his age at first, but as the draft neared it became a larger concern.[3]

Pre-draft measurables
Ht Wt Arm length Hand size 40-yard dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert jump Broad BP Wonderlic
6 ft 5 in
(1.96 m)		 245 lb
(111 kg)		 33 1⁄4 in
(0.84 m)		 10 1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		 4.72 s 1.61 s 4.62 s 34.5 in
(0.88 m)		 10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)		 15 reps 32[10]
All values from NFL Combine[9][11]

Fackrell was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the third round (88th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.[9] The pick was criticized by ESPN Staff writer Rob Demovsky for failing to address what was believed to be the biggest need at inside linebacker.[12] When Fackrell found out he was drafted by the Packers, he and his wife fell to their knees in celebration.[13] Fackrell was believed to be drafted by the Packers in part because of Julius Peppers' age and the fact he was entering the final year of his contract.[14]

On September 25, 2016, Fackrell registered his first career sack, which occurred on quarterback Matthew Stafford, in a 34–27 win over the Detroit Lions.[15]

On September 10, 2017, in the season opener, Fackrell recovered a Russell Wilson fumble, which was forced by teammate Mike Daniels in a 17–9 win over the Seattle Seahawks.[16]

On September 30, 2018, Fackrell registered 3 sacks in the 4th quarter on Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen in a 22-0 win.

NFL career statistics

Regular season

YearTeamGGSTacklesInterceptionsFumbles
TotalSoloAstSckSFTYPDefIntYdsAvgLngTDsFFFR
2016GB 130181622.0010000010
2017GB 162282263.0000000001
Total292463885.0010000011
Source: NFL.com

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Kyler Fackrell". Utah State University. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  2. ↑ Cripe, Chad (December 15, 2015). "Utah State NFL prospect Kyler Fackrell had one scholarship offer". Web. Associated Press. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Corbin, Michael (May 7, 2016). "Kyler Fackrell, Packers hope 2014 ACL injury is behind him". Web. Green Bay, Wisconsin. Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ "FWAA Names 2012 Freshman All-American Team" (Press release). Football Writers Association of America. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ "2012 All-WAC Football Honors" (PDF). WAC. 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Mountain West Announces 2013 Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Honors". Web. Colorado Springs, Colorado. Mountain West Conference. December 10, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  7. ↑ Steele, Phil (2015). "Phil Steele's 2015 Postseason All-American Team". Web. Phil Steele's College Football Preview. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  8. ↑ Steele, Phil (2015). "Phil Steele's 2015 Postseason All-Mountain West Team". Web. Phil Steele's College Football Preview. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  9. 1 2 3 Zierlein, Lance. "Kyler Fackrell, Utah State". Web. NFL.Com. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Green Bay Packers' picks in the 2016 NFL draft". JSOnline.com. April 30, 2016. Archived from the original on April 21, 2018. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  11. ↑ Brugler, Dane. "Kyler Fackrell, OLB". Web. CBS Sports. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  12. ↑ Demovsky, Rob (April 29, 2016). "Packers pick outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell in third round; ignore inside linebacker". Web. Green Bay, Wisconsin. ESPN. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  13. ↑ Hodkiewicz, Wes (May 14, 2016). "Belief in Kyler Fackrell was no joke". Web. Green Bay, Wisconsin. Green Bay Packers. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  14. ↑ Demovsky, Rob (May 20, 2016). "The Intimidators: Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers meet Packers rookie Kyler Fackrell". Web. ESPN. p. 1. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  15. ↑ http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap3000000708964/Matthew-Stafford-wrapped-up-by-Kyler-Fackrell-for-sack
  16. ↑ "Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers - September 10th, 2017". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
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