Purdue Fullback Zander Horvath Selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2022 NFL Draft

LAS VEGAS — Purdue football finished the 2022 NFL Draft with three players being selected through seven rounds as fullback Zander Horvath was selected with the 260th overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers.

Horvath joins teammates George Karlaftis and David Bell in this year’s NFL draft class. Karlaftis was taken in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs while Bell went off the board in the third round after being selected by the Cleveland Browns.

It was the Boilermakers’ first three-man draft class since the 2008 NFL Draft, and Horvath is the first Purdue player taken by the Chargers since Nick Hardwick and Shaun Phillips were selected in the third and fourth rounds in 2004.

During a four-year playing career with the Purdue football program, Horvath — a former walk-on — compiled 1,181 total rushing yards to go along with eight touchdowns. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry while also adding 592 yards receiving and one score.

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During the 2021 season, Horvath rushed for just 320 yards in eight games after missing five contests due to a lower leg injury. However, he still led the team with three rushing touchdowns and was second in rushing yards.

Horvath is the first Purdue running back to be drafted since Edwin Watson, who was selected in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers in the 1998 NFL Draft.

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