Chase Hansen, LB, Utah 2019 NFL Draft

UTAH: 2018 All-America linebacker and two-time All-Pac-12 selection (first team linebacker in 2018 and 2016 honorable mention safety in 2016) … played in 43 career games with 35 starts … 164 career solo tackles is tied for seventh all-time at Utah … 33.5 career TFL is tied for sixth-most all-time at Utah … played safety his first three seasons and linebacker his senior year … also saw action at quarterback as a freshman.
2018–Second-team All-American by the FWAA, Sporting News, The Athletic and Phil Steele … first-team All-Pac-12 … started 13 games at rover linebacker, missing the bowl game due to injury … second on the team with 114 tackles and led Utah with 5.0 tackles per game (No. 7 Pac-13) … fifth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 in tackles for loss (22.0) … 22.0 TFL is the second-most in a season at Utah … tied for fifth in the Pac-12 with 5.0 sacks … led or tied for the team in tackles in nine games … two interceptions (1 for a touchdown) and four pass breakups … two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week (Northern Illinois, USC) … career-high 13 tackles vs. Washington in the Pac-12 Championship game, Oregon (3.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) and BYU (3.0 TFL, 1 PBU) … named the Chuck Bednarik Award Player of the Week, Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week and Rose Bowl Game Pac-12 Player of the Week for a 12-tackle (2.5 TFL, 2.0 sack) game against Northern Illinois … clinched the win against NIU with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown and also recovered a fumble … 11 tackles (3.0 TFL) and an interception against USC … 11 tackles (1.5 TFL) against Washington … nine tackles (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sacks) vs. Stanford and Arizona (1.0 sack) … three pass breakups against UCLA … quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy … two-time Lott IMPACT Player of the Week (Oregon, BYU).
 2017–Played in and started eight games (7 at strong safety, 1 at linebacker), missing four games with injury … second on the team in tackles per game (6.38) and third in total tackles (51) … 2.5 TFL and 1.0 sack … two pass breakups … season-high 11 tackles vs. Oregon … eight tackles vs. BYU … two tackles, an interception and a pass breakup against Arizona … seven tackles (1.0 TFL) against Stanford … five tackles against UCLA included 1.5 TFL (1.0 sack) and a pass breakup.
2016–Honorable mention All-Pac-12 … started all 13 games (12 at strong safety, 1 at linebacker) … tied for second in the nation in fumble recoveries (4) … also forced three fumbles (tied for third in the Pac-12) … led Utah in tackles (90), passes defended (12) and pass breakups (9), ranking in the top 12 in the Pac-12 in all three categories … 7.5 TFL, 1.0 sack … three interceptions …  career-high 13 tackles (1.0 TFL), a pass breakup and a forced fumble against Colorado … nine tackles (1 TFL) and a pass breakup against Arizona … nine tackles (0.5 TFL) and an interception against Washington … eight tackles (2.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) and an interception against Oregon State … forced and recovered a fumble against USC and also had seven tackles and a pass breakup … 34-yard interception return for a touchdown against Arizona State, along with two pass breakups and six tackles (1.5 TFL) … recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the end zone on a muffed punt return by Oregon and added nine tackles and a pass breakup … season-high three pass breakups and a fumble recovery against Indiana in the Foster Farms Bowl.
2015–Played in nine games (2 at quarterback, 7 at safety) with one start at strong safety before a season-ending injury … played at quarterback against Fresno State and Oregon … attempted one pass (against Fresno State) … four rushes for 31 yards were all against Oregon … made his first appearance at safety in game six against Arizona State … finished with 17 tackles and 1.5 TFL (1.0 sack) … started at strong safety and made a season-high 11 tackles with a forced fumble and a pass breakup against Washington before getting injured on the last play of the game … honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic.
2012–Redshirt.
 
HIGH SCHOOL: 2011 Parade All-American as an all-purpose player … only Parade All-American from the state of Utah in 2011 … 2011 Class 5A Player of the Year (Salt Lake Tribune), Mr. Football (Deseret News) and Utah Gatorade Player of the Year … 2011 region MVP … second-team all-state as a junior and first-team as a senior … quarterbacked Lone Peak High to a 14-0 record and the Utah Class 5A state championship as a senior in 2011 when he passed for 3,066 yards and 38 touchdowns, while completing 191-of-319 attempts … also had 180 rushes for 1,404 yards (7.8 average) and 16 touchdowns … averaged 219.0 yards passing and 100.3 yards rushing a game in 2011 … passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns in 41-21 win over Fremont High in the 2011 state title game … played 27 games in his high school career, passing for 4,878 yards and 52 touchdowns (15 interceptions) … U.S. Air Force National Player of the Week after Lone Peak snapped Bingham High’s 31-game win streak … won two Region IV championships at Lone Peak … also lettered four years in basketball and played for Lone Peak’s 2011 state championship team … one letter in baseball … academic all-region.
 
PERSONAL: Son of Brian and Pamela Hansen … father played football at BYU, lettering in 1978 and 1981-82 … four brothers and three sisters … uncle Randy Hansen lettered on Utah’s football team from 1968-70 … uncle Bruce Hansen lettered in football at BYU in 1981 and 1985-86, and played for the New England Patriots in 1987 … cousin Colby Hansen played football for BYU (2015-16) … enjoys ping pong, reading and wakeboarding … served a church mission in Brisbane, Australia … bachelor’s degree in consumer and community studies with an emphasis in financial planning and a minor in sociology.

Outstanding production from all areas of the defense. Hansen has proven to be a quick learner with great football IQ, which stems from being named the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year at Lone Peak High School as a quarterback.

A moment under center at Utah eventually turned him into a career defensive star for the Utes, in which Hansen was named a 2018 All-America linebacker and two-time All-Pac-12 selection. His ability to learn on the fly with fantastic results, has been the hallmark of his college career. A move to safety – success. A move to linebacker – more success.

An injury derailed the end of Hansen’s senior season which also forced him to miss all the opportunities a college prospect desires at this level. A declined invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, no NFL Combine participation and no Pro Day drills, that resulted from his his injury, last season.

NFL teams will be forced to devour more tape on Hansen. It should reveal a naturally athletic player with good quickness and agility to slip and avoid tacklers. He flies to the ball when he sees it. Can range to the sideline. Great flexibility with fluid movement skills.

He lacks ideal size but has proven over the course of his career he can drop in coverage and seize the moment in the box. A run-and-chase “Will” linebacker best suited for a one-gap defense.