Ryan Hoag
Encyclopedia
Ryan Hoag is an American football
wide receiver
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders
with the final pick in the 2003 NFL Draft
, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant
. He played college football
at Gustavus Adolphus.
Hoag has also been a member of the New York Giants
, Minnesota Vikings
, Washington Redskins
, Edmonton Eskimos
, Jacksonville Jaguars
and New York Sentinels. Hoag currently works as a substitute teacher in Minnesota.
, and attended Washburn High School
. Hoag lettered in football, track, soccer, and tennis at and was twice named all-conference and team captain in tennis, as well as an all-conference honoree in soccer.
.
He attended Division III Gustavus Adolphus College
in St. Peter, Minnesota
. He left Gustavus with 144 receptions for 2,232 yards (15.5 average) and 29 touchdowns. He was the only Gustavus player with over 2,000 career receiving yards and was an All-MIAC 1st-team selection as a junior and senior as well as being named Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year as a senior. He caught 56 passes for 808 yards (14.4 avg.) and ten touchdowns as a senior, and also returned 13 kickoffs for 397 yards (30.5 avg.). He set a school record with 13 catches for 175 yards, and achieving 313 total yards (175 receiving, 122 kickoff return, four punt return and 12 rushing). As a junior, Hoag pulled in 54 passes for 876 yards (16.2 avg.) and set a Gustavus record with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 548 yards (16.1 avg.) and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
He took 3rd at 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.51 and 4th at the 2003 Indoor Championships in the 55-meter dash at 6.45.
’ practice squad on November 19, 2003 and was released by New York on May 20, 2004.
on the active roster in Minnesota, but was not activated for any of those three games. He spent the other 14 weeks on the practice squad before being released on September 3, 2005. He signed a third time on April 5, 2006 and was finally released by Minnesota on September 2, 2006.
of the now defunct NFL Europa league where his playing opportunities were scarce.
In 2007, Hoag spent training camp with the Redskins. He was rumored to be a contender for the final 53-man roster, but was released on September 1 as part of the team's final roster cuts.
of Canadian Football League
. On October 3, 2007 he was released from their practice squad.
. In two preseason games, Hoag caught five passes for 98 yards, including a 53-yard reception in Jacksonville's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins
. He was released by the Jaguars on August 30, 2008, when the team made their final cuts.
of the United Football League in the UFL Premiere Season Draft
. He signed with the team on August 5, 2009.
reality television
dating show The Bachelorette
, which premiered May 19. 2008. On the debut episode, he said he was a virgin, explaining, "Christianity
is first and foremost in my life. [...] I don't have sex. I'm not going to do that until I'm married. So I have wondered about DeAnna in terms of how she'll deal with the fact that I'm a virgin. I don't know how she'll deal with the fact that I hold faith as the number one thing in my life". On the May 26, 2008 episode, Hoag was eliminated when he did not receive a rose.
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...
wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
who 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....
. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
with the final pick in the 2003 NFL Draft
2003 NFL Draft
The 2003 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. The draft is known officially as the "NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting" and has been conducted annually since 1936. The draft was held April 26–27, 2003 at the Theatre at...
, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant
Mr. Irrelevant
"Mr. Irrelevant" is the title bestowed each year upon the last pick of the annual National Football League draft.- Irrelevant Week :The name arose in 1976, when former Southern California and NFL receiver Paul Salata founded "Irrelevant Week" in Newport Beach, California. He announced the final...
. 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 Gustavus Adolphus.
Hoag has also been a member of 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...
, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
, Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, Edmonton Eskimos
Edmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
, Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and New York Sentinels. Hoag currently works as a substitute teacher in Minnesota.
Early years
Hoag was born in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, and attended Washburn High School
Washburn High School
Minneapolis Washburn High School is a four-year public high school serving grades 9–12 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. By enrollment, Washburn is the fourth-largest high school in the Minneapolis Public School District.Principal Mrs...
. Hoag lettered in football, track, soccer, and tennis at and was twice named all-conference and team captain in tennis, as well as an all-conference honoree in soccer.
College career
He began his college career as a walk-on soccer player at Wake Forest UniversityWake Forest University
Wake Forest University is a private, coeducational university in the U.S. state of North Carolina, founded in 1834. The university received its name from its original location in Wake Forest, north of Raleigh, North Carolina, the state capital. The Reynolda Campus, the university's main campus, is...
.
He attended Division III Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
in St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
. He left Gustavus with 144 receptions for 2,232 yards (15.5 average) and 29 touchdowns. He was the only Gustavus player with over 2,000 career receiving yards and was an All-MIAC 1st-team selection as a junior and senior as well as being named Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year as a senior. He caught 56 passes for 808 yards (14.4 avg.) and ten touchdowns as a senior, and also returned 13 kickoffs for 397 yards (30.5 avg.). He set a school record with 13 catches for 175 yards, and achieving 313 total yards (175 receiving, 122 kickoff return, four punt return and 12 rushing). As a junior, Hoag pulled in 54 passes for 876 yards (16.2 avg.) and set a Gustavus record with 14 touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 548 yards (16.1 avg.) and five touchdowns as a sophomore.
He took 3rd at 2002 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.51 and 4th at the 2003 Indoor Championships in the 55-meter dash at 6.45.
New York Giants
Hoag signed to the New York GiantsNew 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...
’ practice squad on November 19, 2003 and was released by New York on May 20, 2004.
Minnesota Vikings
Hoag was signed by the Minnesota Vikings on June 24, 2004 and spent three weeks of the 2004 season2004 NFL season
The 2004 NFL season was the 85th regular season of the National Football League.With the New England Patriots as the defending league champions, regular season play was held from September 9, 2004 to January 2, 2005...
on the active roster in Minnesota, but was not activated for any of those three games. He spent the other 14 weeks on the practice squad before being released on September 3, 2005. He signed a third time on April 5, 2006 and was finally released by Minnesota on September 2, 2006.
Washington Redskins
Hoag was signed by Washington to the practice squad on November 22, 2006 and released by Washington on November 28, 2006. Hoag re-signed to the Redskins’ practice squad on December 27, 2006 and was commissioned to the Berlin ThunderBerlin Thunder
The Berlin Thunder were a professional American football team in NFL Europe, which was a springtime American football league serving primarily as a developmental league for the National Football League. Most of the players were young American professional players assigned by NFL teams to receive...
of the now defunct NFL Europa league where his playing opportunities were scarce.
In 2007, Hoag spent training camp with the Redskins. He was rumored to be a contender for the final 53-man roster, but was released on September 1 as part of the team's final roster cuts.
Edmonton Eskimos
On September 11, 2007, Hoag signed a practice roster agreement with the Edmonton EskimosEdmonton Eskimos
The Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
of Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. On October 3, 2007 he was released from their practice squad.
Jacksonville Jaguars
On July 25, 2008, Hoag was signed by the Jacksonville JaguarsJacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In two preseason games, Hoag caught five passes for 98 yards, including a 53-yard reception in Jacksonville's preseason opener against the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He was released by the Jaguars on August 30, 2008, when the team made their final cuts.
New York Sentinels
Hoag was drafted by the New York SentinelsNew York Sentinels
The New York Sentinels and Hartford Colonials are a currently inactive professional American football team that played in the United Football League in its 2009 and 2010 seasons...
of the United Football League in the UFL Premiere Season Draft
UFL Premiere Season Draft
The UFL "Premiere" Season Draft was the inaugural draft of the United Football League. The results of the draft were announced via press release on June 19, 2009....
. He signed with the team on August 5, 2009.
The Bachelorette
Hoag was a contestant on season four the ABCAmerican Broadcasting System
American Broadcasting System, Inc. was the corporate entity created by Edward J. Noble to purchase the assets of the Blue Network, a radio network that was being divested by the National Broadcasting Company under pressure from anti-trust regulators....
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
dating show The Bachelorette
The Bachelorette (Season 4)
The Bachelorette 4 is the fourth season of ABC reality television series The Bachelorette. After a long three year absence of the show, the season premiere aired on May 19, 2008. This season featured Deanna Pappas courting 25 men. Pappas was rejected by Brad Womack in the eleventh season of The...
, which premiered May 19. 2008. On the debut episode, he said he was a virgin, explaining, "Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is first and foremost in my life. [...] I don't have sex. I'm not going to do that until I'm married. So I have wondered about DeAnna in terms of how she'll deal with the fact that I'm a virgin. I don't know how she'll deal with the fact that I hold faith as the number one thing in my life". On the May 26, 2008 episode, Hoag was eliminated when he did not receive a rose.