Jordan van den

Jordan van den Berg, who has four brothers, was born and raised in South Africa by his parents (Michael van den Berg and Lisa Hendry). His grandfather (Francois) was a competitive bodybuilder in South Africa, and his grandmother (Joan Rocci) holds several South African swimming records. When Jordan was 10, his family relocated to the Atlanta area. He’d grown up playing rugby in South Africa and hoped to continue playing in the United States. However, his new friends played football, so he made the switch (and also played baseball and basketball). He attended Providence Christian Academy, a private school in Lilburn, Ga., where he became an all-state linebacker as a senior, posting 157 tackles, and set the school record for career tackles. A no-star recruit, he didn’t have any Division I offers and walked on at Iowa Western Community College in 2020. He added 40 pounds during his first junior college year and moved from linebacker to the defensive line. Despite a left knee injury, he received double-digit FBS offers and signed with Penn State, where he played three seasons as a backup. He transferred to Georgia Tech for his final two seasons and earned All-ACC honors both years. A “Freaks List” alum, van den Berg is a broad, well-built athlete who has thickness through his arms, legs and core. He bursts off the snap with aggressive hands to push the pocket, although he shows some lower-body stiffness when attempting to move laterally around blocks. He took a positive step forward from his 2024 tape in his ability to recognize and shed blocks against the run. His motor is relentless, and his coaches said he was one of the team’s best leaders because of the example he set. He also brings outstanding personal and football character (he used his NIL money to become a small-business owner and buy a laundromat in the Atlanta area). Overall, van den Berg was a late bloomer on the football field, but his 2025 tape showed a player with NFL-caliber size, traits and effort. He