# Derek Pagel

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{{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](/source/Safety_(American_football_position))
| number      = 20, 37, 25
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1979|10|24}}
| birth_place = [Plainfield, Iowa](/source/Plainfield%2C_Iowa), U.S.
| death_date  = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lbs  = 208
| draftyear   = 2003
| draftround  = 5
| draftpick   = 140
| high_school = [Plainfield](/source/Nashua-Plainfield_High_School) {{avoid wrap|([Nashua, Iowa](/source/Nashua%2C_Iowa))}}
| college     = [Iowa](/source/Iowa_Hawkeyes_football)
| pastteams   =
* [New York Jets](/source/New_York_Jets) ({{NFL Year|2003}}–{{NFL Year|2004}})
* [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys) ({{NFL Year|2005}})
| highlights  =
* Second-team [All-Big Ten](/source/Big_Ten_Conference) ([2002](/source/2002_All-Big_Ten_Conference_football_team))
| statlabel1  = Games played
| statvalue1  = 19
| statlabel2  = [Tackles](/source/Tackle_(football_move))
| statvalue2  = 15
| pfr         = PageDe20 
}}
'''Derek L. Pagel''' (born October 24, 1979) is an American former professional [football](/source/American_football) player who was a [safety](/source/Safety_(American_football_position)) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) (NFL) for the [New York Jets](/source/New_York_Jets) and [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys). He played [college football](/source/college_football) for the [Iowa Hawkeyes](/source/Iowa_Hawkeyes_football) and was selected by the [New York Jets](/source/New_York_Jets) in the fifth round of the [2003 NFL draft](/source/2003_NFL_draft).

==Early life==
Pagel attended [Nashua-Plainfield High School](/source/Nashua-Plainfield_High_School), where he played football and [basketball](/source/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](/source/Walk-on_(sports)) at the [University of Iowa](/source/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](/source/special_teams) in his first 2 seasons.

As a junior, he became a starter at [free safety](/source/free_safety) playing alongside [Bob Sanders](/source/Bob_Sanders) and recorded one interception. As a senior, he tied with [Jovon Johnson](/source/Jovon_Johnson) for the team lead with 4 interceptions, including one returned for a [touchdown](/source/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](/source/NFL_Scouting_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](/source/New_York_Jets) in the fifth round (140th overall) of the [2003 NFL draft](/source/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](/source/2004_NFL_season), he was placed on the [injured reserve list](/source/injured_reserve_list) with a left calf injury he suffered in the eighth game against the [Buffalo Bills](/source/Buffalo_Bills), finishing the season with 5 [special teams](/source/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](/source/2005_NFL_season).<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](/source/2005_NFL_season), he was claimed off waivers by the [Dallas Cowboys](/source/Dallas_Cowboys). He suffered a torn rotator cuff injury in the first preseason game against the [Arizona Cardinals](/source/Arizona_Cardinals) and was placed on the [injured reserve list](/source/injured_reserve_list) on August 18. He was released on March 2, [2006](/source/2006_NFL_season).

==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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Derek Pagel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Pagel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Pagel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.