Greg Eslinger
Encyclopedia
Greg Eslinger is an American football
center
who was previously a practice squad player for the Denver Broncos
of the National Football League
. He was originally drafted by the Denver Broncos
in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Minnesota
. He is currently a free agent
.
. As a senior, he was awarded the Outland Trophy
, which is given to college football
's best interior lineman, as well as the Dave Rimington Trophy
, awarded to college football
's top center
. A Bismarck, North Dakota
native, Eslinger was also two-time Associated Press
All-American (2003, 2005) and a three-time First Team All-Big Ten
performer (2003, 2004, 2005).
and did not play during the 2006 NFL season
.
Assigned to the Cologne Centurions
of the NFL Europa for 2007, he started at center where he earned All-NFL Europa honors.
The Broncos moved Eslinger to the practice squad at the beginning of 2007. On Nov. 13, 2007, the Cleveland Browns picked him off the Bronco practice squad. On December 12, 2007 he was released from the Cleveland Browns. On December 20, 2007 he was signed to the Houston Texans practice squad. Eslinger was re-signed to the Bronco practice squad in the 2008 season.
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...
center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
who was previously a practice squad player for the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
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 originally drafted by the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Draft
2006 NFL Draft
The 2006 National Football League Draft, the 71st in league history, took place in New York City at Radio City Music Hall on April 29 and April 30, 2006. For the 27th consecutive year, the draft was telecast on ESPN and ESPN2, with additional coverage offered by ESPNU and, for the first time, by...
. 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 Minnesota
Minnesota Golden Gophers football
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the oldest programs in college football history. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. The Golden Gophers have claimed six national championships and have an all time record of 646–481–44 as...
. He is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
College career
At Minnesota, he was a four-year starterStarting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
. As a senior, he was awarded the Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
, which is given to 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...
's best interior lineman, as well as the Dave Rimington Trophy
Dave Rimington Trophy
The Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979-1982....
, awarded to 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...
's top center
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
. A Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck, North Dakota
Bismarck is the capital of the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Burleigh County. It is the second most populous city in North Dakota after Fargo. The city's population was 61,272 at the 2010 census, while its metropolitan population was 108,779...
native, Eslinger was also two-time Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
All-American (2003, 2005) and a three-time First Team All-Big Ten
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
performer (2003, 2004, 2005).
Awards and honors
- Sporting News Freshman All-AmericaAll-AmericaAn All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n (2002) - Third-team All-American (2003)
- 3x First-team All-Big TenBig Ten ConferenceThe Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
(2003–2005) - FWAAFootball Writers Association of AmericaThe Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
All-American2004 College Football All-America TeamThe 2004 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
(2004) - Rimington TrophyDave Rimington TrophyThe Dave Rimington Trophy is awarded to the player considered to be the best center in college football. Dave Rimington was a center who played at the University of Nebraska from 1979-1982....
finalist (2004) - Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year (2005)
- Lombardi AwardLombardi AwardThe Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
semifinalist (2005) - Consensus All-American2005 College Football All-America TeamThe 2005 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
(2005) - Outland TrophyOutland TrophyThe Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
(2005) - Rimington Trophy (2005)
Professional career
Eslinger was chosen in the sixth round (198th overall) by the Broncos. Greg was on their injured reserveInjured 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...
and did not play during the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
.
Assigned to the Cologne Centurions
Cologne Centurions
The Cologne Centurions were an American football team that played in NFL Europe. The Centurions began competing in the league in the 2004 season, having replaced the defunct Barcelona Dragons. They played their home games at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne....
of the NFL Europa for 2007, he started at center where he earned All-NFL Europa honors.
The Broncos moved Eslinger to the practice squad at the beginning of 2007. On Nov. 13, 2007, the Cleveland Browns picked him off the Bronco practice squad. On December 12, 2007 he was released from the Cleveland Browns. On December 20, 2007 he was signed to the Houston Texans practice squad. Eslinger was re-signed to the Bronco practice squad in the 2008 season.