Eric Vanden Heuvel signs with the Baltimore Ravens

• Eric Vanden Heuvel

Eric Vanden Heuvel was an offensive tackle for the University of Wisconsin football team from 2005 to 2008. This is his media photo from that era. University of Wisconsin photo

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North Hudson native Eric Vanden Heuvel has signed a contract to play for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League, the team announced on March 3.

Vanden Heuvel, a 2005 graduate of Hudson High School, went on to be a three-year starter for the University of Wisconsin football team. He played offensive tackle for the Badgers from 2005 to 2008.

One of the highlights of Vanden Heuvel’s career with the Badgers came early. As a true freshman, he stepped in for injured left tackle Joe Thomas in the 2006 Capital One Bowl and helped the Badgers to a 24-10 victory over higher-ranked Auburn University.

He started 35 games for the Badgers. Most, if not all, of those games were played with fellow Hudson grad and offensive lineman Kraig Urbik. Urbik was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and now is a member of the Buffalo Bills.

Vanden Heuvel didn’t pursue an NFL career after graduating from the University of Wisconsin in 2009 with a degree in kinesiology. He has been working at Larsen Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy in Hudson.

He was listed at 6-foot-7 and 324 pounds his senior year with the Badgers. The Ravens website says the 24-year-old now weighs 303 pounds.

Vanden Heuvel hasn’t responded yet to a Star-Observer request for an interview.

His parents are Richard and Jean Vanden Heuvel of North Hudson.

Tags: sports, football, proam