Van Fillinger
Van Fillinger is an American college football defensive end who played for the Utah Utes.
Early life
Fillinger attended Corner [Canyon High School] in Draper, Utah. He was rated as a three-star recruit and committed to play college football for the Texas [Longhorns football|Texas Longhorns]. However, Fillinger flipped his commitment to play for the Utah Utes.
Fillinger appeared in 19 games in his first two collegiate seasons in 2020 and 2021, recording 45 tackles with ten being for a loss, and five and a half sacks. In 2022, he played in just eight games before suffering a season-ending injury, finishing with 18 tackles with five being for a loss, five sacks, and a forced fumble. In 2023, Fillinger played in 11 games with eight starts for Utah, where he totaled 31 tackles with five being for a loss, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. In week 3 of the 2024 season, he notched a sack and blocked a kick in a win over 2024 [Baylor Bears football team|Baylor]. Midway through the 2024 season, Fillinger was added to the Lombardi Award watchlist.