Craig Roh

Craig Robert Roh (January 25, 1991 – February 26, 2024) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) and the Canadian Football League (CFL).

As a junior in 2007, Roh recorded 99 tackles, 45 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.

He was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona for the 2008–2009 academic year and received the 2009 Scholar-Athlete Award from the College Football Hall of Fame.

As a senior in 2008, he recorded 140 tackles, 56 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, one interception, and two fumble recoveries.

He broke the school record for sacks in both years.

He also helped lead Chaparral to the Arizona Class 4A-I state championship game in 2008.

Roh was selected by The Arizona Republic and East Valley Tribune as a first-team All-Arizona player as a junior and again as a senior.

He was also named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Arizona and received the Curley Culp Award as the outstanding defensive lineman in Arizona.

In late August 2008, Roh made an official visit to the University of Michigan.

He announced his commitment to Michigan three weeks later on September 19, 2008.

He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines beginning in 2009, starting all 12 games at the "hybrid linebacker" position as a true freshman.

With a high school grade point average of 4.3, he was also selected for the 2009 Scholar-Athlete Award from the College Football Hall of Fame.

During his senior year, Roh became one of the most highly recruited high school football players in the United States.

He was rated by ESPN.com as the fourth-best defensive end and the No. 48 player in the nation at all positions.

Scout.com rated him as the eighth-best defensive end and the No. 67 overall player in the nation.

Rivals.com rated him as the seventh-best defensive end, the No. 156 overall player, and the No. 3 quickest first step among defensive ends.

With his combination of size (6 feet, 5 inches, and 230 pounds), strength (bench press of 280 pounds, squat of 400 pounds) and speed (4.675 in the 40-yard dash), Roh received scholarship offers from many of the major college football programs, including Arizona, Arizona State, Cal, Nebraska, Stanford, UCLA, and USC.

In January 2009, Roh played as a defensive end in the Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Florida, recording a sack and several quarterback hurries.

Roh enrolled in Michigan's College of Literature, Science and the Arts and joined the football team for summer practice in August 2009.

He impressed the coaching staff during summer practice and earned a spot in the starting lineup as a true freshman.

His speed and athleticism were attributes that drew the coaches' attention.

Michigan's tailback, Carlos Brown, described seeing the big freshman running by his side, and keeping up.

Brown added, "He turned around and looked at me, and I said, 'That's Craig Roh running with me right down the field?' It's ridiculous. He's real fast."

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez said that Roh had adapted so quickly that it was tough to deny him.

Rodriguez added, "Probably for me, it was the one-on-one pass-rush drills that they did against the varsity or upperclass offensive linemen. He was a handful for those guys to block. . . . [H]e's a hard worker that wants to be great – he doesn't want to be good, he wants to be great. I'm excited to see what he's going to do."

Michigan offensive tackle Stephen Schilling confirmed that Roh had "given some of the older guys some fits."

Roh started all 12 games for Michigan in 2009, playing at a position variously called the "quick" or "hybrid linebacker".

Roh describe his role as follows: "I'm that hybrid type of position. Half linebacker, half defensive lineman."

The position requires Roh to be versatile, with duties that vary from rushing the quarterback to dropping into pass coverage or filling a gap.

Roh said that his favorite thing to do is sack the quarterback.

He told one interviewer, "I love hitting the quarterback. I love it! When I get there it's . . . there's nothing like it."

But Roh emphasized in interviews that he enjoyed the hybrid role.

He told The Detroit News: "I love the versatility of (my position). It makes me a more complete football player."

After Roh's first start, Coach Rodriguez said of him, "He's got a high motor, he's a guy who loves football, he plays so hard on every snap."

Michigan's All-American defensive lineman Brandon Graham added, "Oh, I seen Craig Roh out there, you know, sticking his nose in there, and he did good for today and all he can do is get better."

He earned second-team all-conference honors in the Big Ten in 2012.

Roh grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona.

His father, Fred Roh, played basketball at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan.

Roh attended Paradise Valley Christian Prep for junior high, and also attended Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, where he was a member of the varsity football and basketball teams.

He was a standout at the defensive end position for the Chaparral football team.