CI #27

Christian Izien

Safety · Rutgers

A Rutgers product who spent three seasons starting and rotating through Tampa Bay's secondary before joining Detroit's defensive backfield.

Christian Izien built his reputation at Rutgers as a versatile defensive back capable of playing all five spots in the secondary. He turned that versatility into three NFL seasons with the Buccaneers before signing on with the Lions.

★ 165 tackles and three interceptions over three seasons in Tampa Bay

★ 304 career tackles at Rutgers

★ Experience at all five secondary positions

Path to the league

Izien played parts of five seasons at Rutgers, debuting as a freshman in 2018 and becoming a full-time starter by his sophomore year. He finished his college career with 304 combined tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss and four interceptions, then went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Career highlights

Over three seasons in Tampa Bay, Izien appeared in 45 games with 15 starts, recording 165 tackles, five passes defended, three interceptions and three forced fumbles. His ability to line up anywhere in the secondary made him a valuable depth and situational piece for the Buccaneers' defense.

2025 season recap

Izien played all 14 games he appeared in for Tampa Bay in 2025, finishing with 25 tackles and a forced fumble, though his defensive snap count dipped from previous seasons. He left the Buccaneers after the season to sign with Detroit.