Outdoors & Sports

Swedes Playing D-I College Football

Football is back.

While no Swedish players currently are playing in the NFL, there is a growing number of Swedes playing Division I college football. Here’s a sampling…

Jordan Genmark Heath – Notre Dame

Genmark Heath (Stockholm) appeared in 13 games for the Fighting Irish as a freshman in 2017. Converted from defensive back to linebacker, he has played in each of Notre Dame’s three wins but hasn’t registered a tackle yet this year.

Samuel Vretman and Robin Jutwreten – Rutgers

We talked with Vretman last year when he was a freshman playing for the Scarlet Knights. A 305-pound offensive lineman, Vretman (Upplands Väsby) appeared in eight games last year, primarily on field-goal attempts, and he’s played in two of Rutgers’ three games this year. Joining Vretman at Rutgers is Jutwreten (Stockholm), a freshman defensive lineman. Jutwreten, who was ranked the No. 1 player in Sweden’s 2018 class by 247Sports.com, has yet to make his debut.

Isaac Moore and Oskar Andersson – Temple

At 6-7, 305, Moore (Örebro) is making early contributions on the Owls’ offensive line as a freshman. Andersson (Karlskoga), at 6-6, 298, also is an offensive lineman for Temple. According to a USA Today story, Moore grew up playing soccer and Temple coach Geoff Collins “sealed the deal during a visit with his Swedish-born mother in Huntington Beach, Calif., where he sold the family on Temple over a meal of Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam.” Andersson was a star on the Swedish national team that won the Under-19 European Championship in Copenhagen.

Editor’s Note: Who have we missed? If you know of any Swedes playing Division I college football here in the States, let us know.