Craig Dahl
Encyclopedia
Craig Dahl is an American football
safety for the St. Louis Rams
of the National Football League
. He was signed by the New York Giants
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
at North Dakota State
.
Dahl earned a Super Bowl ring
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
.
He Holds the following records in track at Mankato East High School.
38.84 in 300 Hurdles
Long Jump
Triple Jump
As a sophomore he finished 10th at the state meet in Long Jump
As a Junior he hurdled/jumped at the state meet finishing with the following times and places.
4th in the 110 hurdles running 14.85
3rd in Long Jump with a jump of 22-07.25
As a senior he hurdled/jumped at the state meet finishing with the following times and places.
5th in the 110 hurdles running 15.02
3rd in the 300 Hurdles running 38.84
3rd in the Long Jump jumping 22-3 1/4
4th in the Triple Jump jumping 44-2 1/4
. In 2003 he played in 10 games and had 24 tackles, and an interception and blocked a kick .
Dahl signed with the Giants after playing college football
at North Dakota State University
. On September 2, 2007, he was placed on the 53-man roster. Through week 12 of the 2007 season, Dahl had three tackles. One tackle was against his home-state Vikings. On December 8, 2007, Craig made his first NFL start of his career against the Eagles. He had five tackles in the game. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament
in a game against the New England Patriots
, and did not play again.
Dahl was waived by the Giants in February 2008 after failing a physical. He was re-signed on July 30, 2008, however, Dahl later again in the Giants' third preseason game tore his ACL
. He was placed on injured reserve
ending his season.
An exclusive-rights free agent after the 2008 season, Dahl was not tendered an offer and became an unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason.
on March 17, 2009. The move reunited him with Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo
, who was the Giants' defensive coordinator during Dahl's time in New York. The Rams re-signed Dahl on March 7, 2010.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
safety for the St. Louis Rams
St. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was signed by the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at North Dakota State
North Dakota State Bison football
The North Dakota State Bison football program represents North Dakota State University in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level and competes in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. From 2004 to 2007, the Bison were members of the Great West Football...
.
Dahl earned a Super Bowl ring
Super Bowl ring
The Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the winners of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl...
with the Giants in Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
.
Early years
Dahl was a First-team All-state, All-conference and All-city for Mankato East High School. He ran for 3,398 yards and passed for 1,769 yards as a quarterback over his final two years and scored 57 touchdowns. He quarterbacked the team to a runner up finish at the state tournament his junior year. He slso competed in basketball and track & field (as a High jumper and long jumper). He holds many football records for the high school as well as many track records. (see below)He Holds the following records in track at Mankato East High School.
38.84 in 300 Hurdles
Long Jump
Triple Jump
As a sophomore he finished 10th at the state meet in Long Jump
As a Junior he hurdled/jumped at the state meet finishing with the following times and places.
4th in the 110 hurdles running 14.85
3rd in Long Jump with a jump of 22-07.25
As a senior he hurdled/jumped at the state meet finishing with the following times and places.
5th in the 110 hurdles running 15.02
3rd in the 300 Hurdles running 38.84
3rd in the Long Jump jumping 22-3 1/4
4th in the Triple Jump jumping 44-2 1/4
College career
Dahl played in 43 games for the Bison and posted 238 tackles (134 solo), 8 passes defensed, 7 interceptions and two sacks. In 2006 As a senior, recorded 61 tackles (32 solo), 2 interceptions and a sack and was First-team All-GWFC. In 2005 he was Second-team All-Great West and had 71 tackles, an interception forced a fumble and blocked a kick. He started in all 11 games at strong safety and led NDSU with 49 solo tackles including one tackle for loss and second overall with 71 total tackles and two pass breakups, one interception, a fumble recovery and one forced fumble. In 2004, as a sophomore, he started all 11 games and was named First-team All-Great West Football ConferenceGreat West Football Conference
The Great West Conference is an NCAA college athletic conference in the continental United States. Formerly a football-only conference, in 2008 it became an all-sports conference...
. In 2003 he played in 10 games and had 24 tackles, and an interception and blocked a kick .
Pre-draft
| Pre-draft measureables | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | Weight | 40-yard dash 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
Broad | BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-1½* | 216* | 4.53 ** | 1.53 ** | 2.61 ** | 4.10 * | 6.69 ** | 35" * | 10'02" * | 17 * | 22* | |||||||||
| * represents NFL Combine NFL Combine The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general... **represents North Dakota State Pro Day |
|||||||||||||||||||
Dahl signed with the Giants after playing college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University
North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, more commonly known as North Dakota State University , is a public university in Fargo, North Dakota. NDSU has about 14,000 students and it is the largest university in North Dakota based on full time students and land size...
. On September 2, 2007, he was placed on the 53-man roster. Through week 12 of the 2007 season, Dahl had three tackles. One tackle was against his home-state Vikings. On December 8, 2007, Craig made his first NFL start of his career against the Eagles. He had five tackles in the game. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in a game against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
, and did not play again.
Dahl was waived by the Giants in February 2008 after failing a physical. He was re-signed on July 30, 2008, however, Dahl later again in the Giants' third preseason game tore his ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
. He was placed on injured reserve
Injured reserve
The injured reserve list is a list of reserved players who are injured and unable to play for a period of time, used most prominently in the National Hockey League and National Football League . It is used because these leagues have a maximum number of players on the team roster, so placing a...
ending his season.
An exclusive-rights free agent after the 2008 season, Dahl was not tendered an offer and became an unrestricted free agent in the 2009 offseason.
St. Louis Rams
Dahl was signed by the St. Louis RamsSt. Louis Rams
The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...
on March 17, 2009. The move reunited him with Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo
Steve Spagnuolo
Steven Christopher Spagnuolo is the current head coach of the St. Louis Rams. He was previously the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants from January 2007 to January 2009, and also served for eight years under defensive coordinator Jim Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles.-Early years:Born...
, who was the Giants' defensive coordinator during Dahl's time in New York. The Rams re-signed Dahl on March 7, 2010.