Jared Veldheer '10
The current starting left tackle for the Arizona Cardinals, Veldheer is one of the finest offensive linemen in the 123-year history of Charger football. A four-year starter from 2006-09, Veldheer was the anchor of the offensive line as Hillsdale ascended to its highest point of success since it began competing as an NCAA Division II program.
In 2007, Veldheer was part of the backbone of an offense that scored a school-record 39.2 points per game, on its way to a three-game improvement in the standings (5-6 to 8-3). He was named First-Team All-GLIAC in 2008 and 2009, when he began to draw the eyes of NFL scouts.
In 2009, Hillsdale qualified for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time, and advanced to the second round, a run that included a 27-24 overtime win over Minnesota State-Mankato. Veldheer was named First-Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association in 2009 as well. In his 46 career starts at left tackle, he never allowed a sack, and Hillsdale had its two highest scoring seasons in its history (2007, 2009).
He was a third-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders (69th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft. He began his career at center, but was quickly moved back over to his natural left tackle positions.
In March 2014, Veldheer signed a five-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, where he immediately became one of the mainstays of the offense. In 2015, the Cardinals finished with a 13-3 record and had the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. He was named team MVP by his teammates and various websites following the 2014 season.