No one in the GLIAC tackled foes more often per game than Brett Pasche did in 2013. Now, he'll try to tackle the NFL.
Pasche, a three-time First-Team All-GLIAC linebacker, has been invited to attend rookie camp with the Detroit Lions, making him the second Hillsdale College alum this spring to ean an invite. Cam White has been working out with the Indianapolis Colts this spring as well.
A dominant linebacker who played with impressive speed and power, Pasche was the starting middle linebacker for Hillsdale in 2011, 2012 and 2013. He led the Chargers in tackles-for-loss in 2011 (15) and 2013 (12), and following his senior season, he was named the Roy Beck Most Valuable Player, the winner of the Ralph Miller III Award as the team's best linebacker, and was a recipient of the Captain's Award.
In his career, Pasche racked up 320 total tackles and 30.5 tackles for loss.
| Mark Nicolet | 2008 | Lions |
| Tom Korte | 2009 | Steelers |
| Jared Veldheer | 2010 | Raiders |
| Mark Petro | 2010 | Jets |
| A.J. Kegg | 2010 | Browns |
| Drew Berube | 2010 | Packers |
| Troy Weatherhead | 2011 | Browns |
| Andre Holmes | 2011 | Cowboys |
| Nick Hixson | 2012 | Redskins |
| Joe Glendening | 2013 | Packers |
| Cam White | 2014 | Colts |
| Brett Pasche | 2014 | Lions |
Pasche was also an outstanding student. He double-majored in math and economics and graduated with a 3.6 overall grade point average. He was named to the GLIAC Academic Excellence Team three times in his career.
The Lions' rookie mini camp will take place May 16-18, a similar date range to the rest of the NFL teams who are holding rookie mini camps.
The table at right shows the number of players the Hillsdale College football program has sent to NFL rookie camps in the past six years. It all started with All-American quarterback Mark Nicolet, who like Pasche, was invited to the Lions' rookie camp in the spring of 2008.
For seven consecutive seasons since then, the Charger football program has produced at least one player who an NFL franchise brought in for a look.
Nick Hixson played in a handful of preseason and regular season games for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers between 2012 and 2013. Tom Korte lasted through the entire training camp for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009, even intercepting a pass against thw Washington Redskins in the preseason, before being one of the last players cut before the regular season.
Two players on the list have carved out impressive NFL careers. Wide receiver Andre Holmes has found a home with the Oakland Raiders, and became one of the team's top weapons towards the tail end of the 2013 season. He caught 25 passes for 431 yards and one touchdown for Oakland a year ago.
Offensive lineman Jared Veldheer was a mainstay at left tackle for the Raiders from 2010-13, and was one of the most sought-after free agents on the NFL market this offseason. He moved south, signing a five-year, $35 million free agent contract with the Arizona Cardinals, where he figures to immediately upgrade that team's offensive line. Veldheer's play has improved each season, and at age 26, is just entering the prime of his career.
Pasche's dream of putting on an NFL helmet has been realized, and he has his opportunity to show he belongs.