Jake Hansen

Experience: 4 years

Height: 6-1

Age: 27

Weight: 230 lbs

College: Illinois

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Year

Season

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT	Total	Solo	AST
3	08/23/2025	@Lions	W 26 - 7	3	0	3
2	08/16/2025	Panthers	W 20 - 3	4	3	1
1	08/09/2025	@Vikings	L 10 - 20	4	1	2

WK	Game Date	OPP	RESULT	Total	Solo	AST	SCK	SFTY	PDEF	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TDS	FF	FR
2	09/15/2025	Buccaneers	L 19 - 20	1	1	0	0	0	0						0
1	09/07/2025	@Rams	L 9 - 14

Biography

TRANSACTIONS: Originally signed with the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent on May 13, 2022.

CAREER:

Appeared in 25 games (two starts) racking up 28 tackles (19 solo), two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Recorded nine tackles (four solo) on special teams

2023 (Houston 14/0, 2/0):

Appeared in 14 games this season and logged seven tackles (six solo) and five tackles (two solo) on special teams
Saw a majority of snaps on special teams in the Wild Card win vs. Cleveland (1/13)
Finished with an assist on special teams in the Divisional Round at Baltimore (1/20)

2022 (Houston 11/2):

Made the initial 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent, but was inactive for the first four weeks of the season
Appeared in 11 games and totaled 21 defensive tackles (13 solo), 1.0 sack, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and four special teams tackles his rookie season with the Texans
Logged three special teams snaps and one tackle at Jacksonville (10/9) in his first career game
Recorded his first career sack, tackle for loss, quarterback hit and a season-high three tackles at Miami (11/27)
Made his first NFL start and three tackles (two) at Dallas (12/11)
Posted his first career fumble recovery vs. Kansas City (12/18)
Posted his first career forced fumble, knocking the ball loose from Titans RB Derrick Henry at Tennessee (12/24)
Saw a majority of action on special teams in the AFC Wild Card win vs. Cleveland (1/13), playing in 22 special teams snaps

COLLEGE:

Played five seasons (2016; 2018-21) at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., where he finished with 276 tackles, 28.5 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries, three interceptions and six passes defensed
Was a three-time team captain
Led the nation in takeaways over the span of two seasons with 14 from 2019-20
Paced the Fighting Illini in tackles in 2018 and 2020

2021 (Illinois):

Registered 32 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles in six games played as a fifth-year senior before missing the rest of the season due to knee surgery
Recipient of the Illinois Athletics Spirit Award, given annually to the male and female student-athletes who best exemplify the spirit, courage, effort and dedication of the Fighting Illini
Forced two fumbles and made six tackles and half a tackle for loss at Virginia (9/11)
Recorded a team-high 12 tackles and 1.0 sack vs. Maryland (9/17)

2020 (Illinois):

Amassed 68 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in eight games played as a senior
Earned All-Big Ten second-team honors from the media and All-Big Ten third-team recognition by the league's coaches
Posted the No. 3 tackling grade in the nation according to PFF (90.8)
Tallied 14 tackles, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery vs. Purdue (10/31)
Matched his career high and led the team with 15 tackles along with 1.0 sack, one interception and one pass defensed at Rutgers (11/14)

2019 (Illinois):

Played and started nine games as a junior and posted 72 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one interception. He missed the final four games with an injury
Named a semifinalist for the Butkus Award
Earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention from the media and the league's coaches
Led the nation in forced fumbles (seven) and forced fumbles per game (0.78)
Ranked sixth in the nation with three fumbles recovered
Made the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week after tallying seven tackles, a forced fumble and an interception in the season opener vs. Akron (8/31)
Was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after two forced fumbles vs. Wisconsin (10/19)

2018 (Illinois):

Started all 12 games as a sophomore and registered 95 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one pass defensed, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hit
Tied for the team lead in total tackles (95) and led Illinois in solo tackles (48)
Finished second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss
Won the team's Bruce Capel Award for courage
Earned PFF National Team of the Week and Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors after logging 15 tackles and six tackles for loss vs. Kent State (9/1)
Posted his first collegiate career sack vs. Minnesota (11/3)

2017 (Illinois):

Did not play in 2017 after suffering a season-ending injury during training camp

2016 (Illinois):

Played in all 12 games, primarily on special teams, with one start at linebacker and finished with eight tackles and one quarterback hit his freshman campaign
Made his first career start and recorded two tackles vs. Minnesota (10/29)
Logged two tackles and one quarterback hit at Northwestern (11/26)

PERSONAL:

Attended East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Fla., where he totaled 103 tackles (75 solo) and 2.0 sacks as a senior
Earned Class 7A Associated Press All-State second-team honors in 2015
Ranked as the No. 60 inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN
Also played basketball and ran track and field in high school
Father, Shad, played football at BYU from 1989-92 and is the school's all-time leading tackler (408)

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