Nick Hayden
Solid Contributorπ
Early Bloomer Β· 2010
Height6'4"
Weight303 lb
BornFeb 4, 1986
Age40
CollegeWisconsinSee College Stats
ConferenceBig Ten
Rookie yr2008
Draft2008 Β· Rd 6, Pick 181 Β· CAR
A edge rusher with a developmental β a rotational or backup contributor who filled their role reliably.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 6 Β· #3873 Β· Role PlayerWorth 6 points of value above a freely-available replacement interior lineman β top 84% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 4 of 5 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +1.5 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
4 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
47
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
4
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+1.5
Avg surplus
peak +2
4 seasons Γ ~1.5 surplus β VORP 6
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
2 grids split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | Snap Counts | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% | |||||
| 2008 | β | CAR | 2 | β | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2009 | β | CAR | 6 | β | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2010 | β | CAR | 12 | β | 28 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2011 | β | CIN | 1 | β | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | β | β | β | β | β |
| 2013 | β | DAL | 16 | β | 41 | 22 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 821 | 72.6% | 91 | 19.3% |
| 2014 | β | DAL | 15 | β | 34 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 570 | 55.4% | 78 | 18.5% |
| 2015 | β | DAL | 15 | β | 44 | 29 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 580 | 54.8% | 85 | 19.4% |
| Career | β | 67 | β | 161 | 92 | 69 | 13 | 14 | 2.0 | 29.0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | β | 0.0% | 1,971 | 61.0% | 254 | 19.1% | |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 22 | CAR | 2 | β | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β |
| 2009 | 23 | CAR | 6 | β | 9 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 3.6 |
| 2010 | 24 | CAR | 12 | β | 28 | 17 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 5.7 |
| 2011 | 25 | CIN | 1 | β | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | β |
| 2013 | 27 | DAL | 16 | 12* | 41 | 22 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8.7 |
| 2014 | 28 | DAL | 15 | 9* | 34 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 5.8 |
| 2015 | 29 | DAL | 15 | 9* | 44 | 29 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 |
| Career | 67 | 30* | 161 | 92 | 69 | 13 | 14 | β | β | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 30.5 |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
Snap Counts
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Off | Off% | Def | Def% | ST | ST% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 27 | DAL | 16 | 12* | β | 0.0% | 821 | 72.6% | 91 | 19.3% |
| 2014 | 28 | DAL | 16 | 9* | β | 0.0% | 570 | 55.4% | 78 | 18.5% |
| 2015 | 29 | DAL | 16 | 9* | β | 0.0% | 580 | 54.8% | 85 | 19.4% |
| Career | 48 | 30* | β | β | 1,971 | β | 254 | β |
* GS not available from free sources β SG* estimated from snap share (nflverse 2012+)
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 48 Β· SolidA solid career by KV-H: a remarkably steady profile that scores 48 of 100, era-normalized against sacks/g peers across 5 scored seasons.
47
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
49
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 47.8 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 48Β· confidence 95%
What builds the career mark of 47
On-field 29.9
Availability 17.1
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative sacks/g)
2009bestavg 462015
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position1
Depth
of 100
Reached 1% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
1% of the all-time Sacks leader1
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 89%.
Per-Snap Impact
Interior D-Line Β· proprietary Β· 2012+28
Rotational
SIS
Disruption/1001.015Snap share61%Def snaps1,971ConsistentCV 0.22
Production per snap β the box score normalized by opportunity. SIS is z-scored within interior d-line, shrinkage-regularized so small samples don't spike, over the NFL snap-count era (2012+).
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average defensive linemen aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Combine Β· 2008
Percentiles compare each raw measurement against position peers, the full combine pool, and the same draft class where enough samples exist.
5.14s
40-Yard
Below avg Β· 31th pct
Pos 31thAll 13thClass Pos 32thClass All 16th
27"
Vertical
Low Β· 20th pct
Pos 20thAll 8thClass Pos 55thClass All 22th
108"
Broad Jump
Above avg Β· 62th pct
Pos 62thAll 19thClass Pos 80thClass All 17th
34 reps
Bench
Strong Β· 87th pct
Pos 87thAll 97thClass Pos 75thClass All 96th
7.55s
3-Cone
Above avg Β· 67th pct
Pos 67thAll 22thClass Pos 83thClass All 25th
4.54s
Shuttle
Above avg Β· 71th pct
Pos 71thAll 24thClass Pos 83thClass All 30th
Postseason Career
3 playoff gamesDefense
Tkl3Solo1Ast2TFL1Dis1.0
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (Wisconsin), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
John KasayK3yJason WittenTE3yJason WhittleG3yBrandon CarrCB3yCole BeasleyWR3yDan BaileyK3yJason BakerP3yTyron SmithOT3yRichard MarshallCB3yDeAngelo WilliamsRB3yJonathan StewartRB3yTony RomoQB3yL.P. LaDouceurLS3yChris GambleCB3yKyle WilberLB3yDez BryantWR3yTyler BraytonDT3yJeff HeathS3yBarry ChurchS3yJames AndersonOLB3yChris JonesP3yJon BeasonMLB3yJeff KingTE3yCharles GodfreyFS3y
2008 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #181
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterNick inherited the Dallas Cowboys DL room from George Selvie (2013β2014), and handed it to Jeremy Mincey (2014β2015).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2015final season
Last recorded season with DAL
- 2013team change
Joined DAL (from CIN)
- 2011team change
Joined CIN (from CAR)
- 2008draft
Drafted by CAR β Round 6, Pick 181
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'4" / 303 lb
Frame
291 lb at 5.14s
Size-speed
27" vert / 108" broad
Explosion
34 reps
Bench power
Injury History
From nflverse weekly injury reports Β· coverage begins 2009.
| Season | Team | Games Out | Designations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | DAL | 0 | W10QuestionableΒ· Ankle / Ankle |
| 2014 | DAL | 0 | W10QuestionableΒ· Shoulder |
| 2009 | CAR | 0 | W2QuestionableΒ· Toe |
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 5-season peers. See all β
48
peak 49
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
D2009
C2010
C2013
C2014
C2015
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 7 seasons.
76%
Era Translator
Sacks translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Sacks | Sacks/G | β 2025 Sacks | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 1 | 0.2 | 3+2 | 0.2 |
| 2010 | 1 | 0.1 | 2+1 | 0.1 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:snap_counts, nflverse:combine, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:injuries Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
6 career value over replacement β #3873 all-time of 4,642. 1.2/season above a replacement-level DL.
Draft OutcomeSteal β
Pick #181 (Rd 6) Β· CAR Β· 2008 Β· +22.1 vs expected KV-H
48actual
25.9 expected Β· Ξ+22.1
Fan Rating
Rate Nick Hayden β All-Time
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