{{Short description|American football player (born 1979)}} {{Use American English|date=August 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Infobox NFL biography | name = Derek Pagel | image = | caption = | position = Safety | number = 20, 37, 25 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|10|24}} | birth_place = Plainfield, Iowa, U.S. | death_date = | height_ft = 6 | height_in = 1 | weight_lbs = 208 | draftyear = 2003 | draftround = 5 | draftpick = 140 | high_school = Plainfield {{avoid wrap|(Nashua, Iowa)}} | college = Iowa | pastteams = * New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2003}}–{{NFL Year|2004}}) * Dallas Cowboys ({{NFL Year|2005}}) | highlights = * Second-team All-Big Ten (2002) | statlabel1 = Games played | statvalue1 = 19 | statlabel2 = Tackles | statvalue2 = 15 | pfr = PageDe20 }} '''Derek L. Pagel''' (born October 24, 1979) is an American former professional football player who was a safety in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes and was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2003 NFL draft.
==Early life== Pagel attended Nashua-Plainfield High School, where he played football and basketball.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.communitynewspapergroup.com/independence_bulletin_journal/former-u-of-i-defensive-back-derek-pagel-visits-independence/article_3aeba324-f365-11e4-95c2-63ec046f01ec.html | title=Former U of I Defensive Back Derek Pagel visits Independence Jr-Sr High | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref> He walked-on at the University of Iowa.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://wcfcourier.com/sports/blogs/sully_side_of_sports/all-grown-up-pagel-still-inspired/article_c00f421c-c351-5701-a4cf-d24a7323f40a.html | title=All grown up, Pagel still inspired | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref> He played mostly on special teams in his first 2 seasons.
As a junior, he became a starter at free safety playing alongside Bob Sanders and recorded one interception. As a senior, he tied with Jovon Johnson for the team lead with 4 interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2013/12/8/Iowa_Football_Team_Awards_Announced.aspx | title=Iowa Football Team Awards Announced | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref>
==Professional career== {{NFL predraft | height ft = 6 | height in = 1 | weight = 208 | arm span = 30+7/8 | hand span = 9+3/8 | dash = 4.56 | ten split = 1.58 | twenty split = 2.66 | shuttle = 4.08 | cone drill = 6.87 | vertical = 35+1/2 | broad ft = 9 | broad in = 7 | bench = 25 | wonderlic = | note = All values from NFL Combine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1376&DraftYear=2003 |title=Derek Pagel, Iowa, FS, 2003 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football |website=draftscout.com}}</ref> }}
===New York Jets=== Pagel was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2003 NFL draft.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2003 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2003/draft.htm |access-date=2023-03-28 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.espn.com/nfldraft/columnist?id=1545469 | title=Team-by-team AFC draft analysis | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref> On November 9, 2004, he was placed on the injured reserve list with a left calf injury he suffered in the eighth game against the Buffalo Bills, finishing the season with 5 special teams tackles.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/10/sports/transactions.html | title=Transactions | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref> He was waived on August 8, 2005.<ref>{{cite web| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/sports/football/jets-say-hello-to-law-and-so-long-to-mickens.html | title=Transactions | accessdate=February 19, 2018}}</ref>
===Dallas Cowboys=== On August 9, 2005, he was claimed off waivers by the Dallas Cowboys. He suffered a torn rotator cuff injury in the first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals and was placed on the injured reserve list on August 18. He was released on March 2, 2006.
==Personal life== Pagel wrote the book "Growing Up Hawkeye".
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Jets2003DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pagel, Derek}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:American football safeties Category:Dallas Cowboys players Category:Iowa Hawkeyes football players Category:New York Jets players Category:People from Chickasaw County, Iowa Category:Players of American football from Iowa