American football player
 Baldonado with Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2024 | |
| Saskatchewan Roughriders | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Defensive lineman |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | (1999-09-06) September 6, 1999 (age 25) Rome, Italy |
| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
| Weight: | 251 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Clearwater Academy International (Clearwater, Florida) |
| College: | Pittsburgh (2018–2022) |
| CFL draft: | 2023G / round: 2 / pick: 12 |
| Undrafted: | 2023 |
| Career history | |
| |
| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |
| Roster status: | Active |
| CFL status: | Global |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Habakkuk Thomas Baldonado (born September 6, 1999) is an Italian professional Canadian football defensive lineman for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football at Pittsburgh.
Early life
Baldonado was born in Italy and moved to Florida in the United States in 2017. He attended Clearwater Academy International in Clearwater, Florida for one year. During that one season, he had 83 tackles and 30.5 sacks. Baldonado committed to the University of Pittsburgh to play college football.
College career
Baldonado played in one game his freshman year at Pittsburgh in 2018 and took a redshirt. In 2019, he had 30 tackles and four sacks. In 2020, he played in only four games due to injury and recorded three tackles. As a 14-game starter in 2021, Baldonado had 41 tackles and nine sacks.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 4+1⁄4 in (1.94 m) |
251 lb (114 kg) |
33 in (0.84 m) |
10+1⁄2 in (0.27 m) |
4.78 s | 1.67 s | 2.79 s | 4.39 s | 7.00 s | 35.0 in (0.89 m) |
10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) |
21 reps | |
| Sources: | ||||||||||||
New York Giants
Baldonado went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft but signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants on April 29, 2023. On May 2, Baldonado was drafted in the second round (12th overall) in the 2023 CFL Global Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He was waived by the Giants on August 29, 2023.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
Baldonado was signed to the practice squad of the Roughriders on September 18, 2023, and was promoted to the active roster on September 28, 2023. On June 1, 2024, he was moved back to the practice roster for the start of the 2024 CFL season. Baldonado was promoted to the active roster for the second time on July 3, 2024.
References
- DiPaola, Jerry (December 24, 2019). "Habakkuk Baldonado's long journey from Rome to Pitt's defensive line". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- DiPaola, Jerry (September 1, 2021). "Habakkuk Baldonado fights off homesickness for his native Italy by embracing family at Pitt". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- McGonigal, Johnny (December 26, 2021). "How leaps of faith led Pitt's Habakkuk Baldonado from Italy to All-ACC pass-rusher". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- Trieu, Allen (January 19, 2018). "Trieu: Habakkuk Baldonado's 'raw athleticism' entices MSU". detroitnews.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- Batko, Brian (February 7, 2018). "Habakkuk Baldonado, an Italian defensive end, signs with Pitt". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
- "With Return to Pitt, Habakkuk Baldonado Has Chance to Make Lasting Impact". April 13, 2022.
- "Pitt's Habakkuk Baldonado working to become one of the 2023 NFL draft's top pass rushers".
- "Habakkuk Baldonado Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- "2023 NFL Draft Scout Habakkuk Baldonado College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- Thompson, Stephen (April 29, 2023). "New York Giants Sign Pitt DE Habakkuk Baldonado". Sports Illustrated/FanNation.
- Postey, Drew (May 2, 2023). "Riders select Australian punter and Italian lineman in 2023 Global Draft". CTV News Regina.
- Eisen, Michael (August 29, 2023). "Giants announce 53-man roster for 2023". Giants.com.
- "Habakkuk Baldonado". Footballdb.com. Retrieved August 6, 2024.
External links
Categories:- 1999 births
- Living people
- Italian players of American football
- Players of American football from Florida
- Clearwater High School alumni
- American football defensive ends
- New York Giants players
- Italian players of Canadian football
- Saskatchewan Roughriders players
- Players of Canadian football from Florida
- American football linebackers
- Canadian football defensive linemen