| No. -- Free Agent | |
| Wide receiver | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth: November 20, 1985 | |
| Place of birth: Wausau, Wisconsin | |
| Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | Weight: 191 lb (87 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College: North Dakota State | |
| Undrafted in 2009 | |
| No regular season or postseason appearances | |
| Career history | |
|
|
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Career NFL statistics as of 2009 | |
| Receptions | -- |
| Receiving yards | -- |
| Receiving TDs | -- |
| Stats at NFL.com | |
Kole Joseph Heckendorf (born November 20, 1985) is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at North Dakota State.
Heckendorf has also been a member of the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, San Diego Chargers, and Indianapolis Colts.
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Heckendorf was born in Wausau, Wisconsin[1] and grew up an hour and a half away from Lambeau Field.[2] He played high school football for Mosinee High School in Mosinee, Wisconsin, as a wide receiver and a safety. One of the most productive players in Wisconsin high school history, he earned first-team All-State honors from both the Associated Press and the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association after making 63 catches for 1,257 yards and recording a state-record 19 touchdowns as a senior. He was a second-team All-State selection by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as a senior. He was named All-Conference and All-District as well.
As a junior, Heckendorf was named first-team WFCA All-State and second-team All-State by the Associated Press and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel after he set state records with 116 receptions[2] for 1,714 yards and 11 touchdowns. He led the entire nation as a junior with 116 catches and his touchdown total during his senior year was a state record. His 116 receptions and 1,714 receiving yards during his junior year were also state records. He helped lead his team within one win for qualifying for the Division III state championship game.[2]
His career totals of 3,831 yards and 36 touchdowns are state records while his 235 catches rank second all-time.[2][3]
Heckendorf lettered in hockey all four years of high school, receiving honorable mention all-state honors once and all-conference honors three times. He also earned three letters in track, winning an individual state championship in the 300-meter hurdles his senior year.[1] He was a member of an all-star traveling hockey team, Team Wisconsin.[2]
Heckendorf received a scholarship to play college football at North Dakota State University, as a wide receiver. He lettered all four years, starting 42 of 43 career games and finished as the all-time leading receiver in school history.[2] He totaled 178 catches for 2,732 yards, and scored 17 touchdowns during his career, becoming the first receiver in the history of the program to lead the team in receptions for four seasons.
Heckendorf redshirted in 2004. He started 10 of the team's 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2005, collecting 37 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns. He caught his first career touchdown pass in a win at Northwestern State on September 10.
Heckendorf started 11 games and had a career-high 52 receptions as a sophomore in 2006, totaling 742 yards and five touchdowns for the Bison. He was named to the All-Northwest Region third-team by the Football Gazette and was voted to the All-GWFC second-team by the league's media after helping NDSU win the conference championship.
He started all 11 games as a junior, catching at least one pass in every game and finishing the season with 48 catches for 766 yards and six touchdowns. He earned All-Great West Football Conference first-team honors after ranking third in the league in both receptions and yards for the season.
He was named a second-team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference selection in 2008 after making 41 catches for 744 yards and four touchdowns as a senior. Heckendorf overcame a bout with Lyme disease and a 20-pound weight loss prior to the season. He finished the season ranked third in the conference in yards and fifth in receptions. He had a career day in the 2008 opener vs. Austin Peavy on August 28, catching eight passes and notching new career highs with 179 receiving yards and three touchdowns. He made a career-high nine catches at Youngstown State on September 20 later in the season. He was a member of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first-team as a senior.
Heckendorf earned a B.S. in general education.[1]
Heckendorf was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2009,[1][2] but was released during the pre-season.
On October 12, 2009 Heckendorf was signed to the Detroit Lions' practice squad. After his contract expired following the season, he was re-signed to a future contract on January 5, 2010. Heckendorf was cut by the Lions on May 11, 2010. He was signed to the Seattle Seahawks May 12, 2010.
Heckendorf was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Seahawks on May 12, 2010. He was released in the preseason on August 30.
Heckendorf was signed to the San Diego Chargers practice squad on October 13, 2010.
Heckendorf's brother, Keith, is a former quarterback at St. Cloud State. He was a Harlon Hill finalist in 2002 and 2003, and is now the offensive coordinator at Western Carolina. Heckendorf's other brother, Kyle, played baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Heckendorf's father, Bart, played football at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Heckendorf's mother is Wendy.[1][3]