A walk-on baseball player turned Burlsworth Trophy winner, Bryce Boettcher willed his way from Oregon's outfield to the Colts' linebacker room.
Bryce Boettcher's path to the NFL is one of the more unusual in this year's rookie class. He spent his first two years at Oregon as a center fielder before walking on to the football team, and now he's a fourth-round linebacker trying to earn snaps for the Colts. His story of chasing two sports at once, and eventually choosing football, has made him a favorite for fans who like an underdog.
Path to the league
Boettcher grew up in Eugene, Oregon, and played quarterback at South Eugene High School before committing to the hometown Ducks as a baseball player. He played center field for Oregon's baseball team while also earning a walk-on spot at linebacker in 2022, juggling both sports through the 2024 season. The Colts selected him in the fourth round, 135th overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Career highlights
Over four football seasons at Oregon (2022-2025), Boettcher totaled 269 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, four sacks, four forced fumbles and two interceptions. He won the Burlsworth Trophy, given annually to the top former walk-on in college football, and earned First-team All-American recognition along with two Second-team All-Big Ten selections. On the diamond, he was talented enough to be drafted by the Houston Astros in the 13th round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
2025 season recap
Boettcher capped his college career with his best statistical season, racking up 136 tackles across 15 games as Oregon's defensive leader. That production, paired with his All-American honors, pushed him from anonymous walk-on to a fourth-round pick just two years after breaking into the Ducks' starting lineup.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Bryce Boettcher
- ESPN: Bryce Boettcher
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Oregon
- Hometown
- Eugene, OR, USA
- Age
- 24
- Status
- active
