Javon Hargrave

Golden Nuggets

• Nickname is "Gravedigger", which was given to him in college because of his violent sacks.
• First love was basketball. As a junior at North Rowan (Spencer, SC) HS, he was named conference player of the year and followed up by leading his team to the state championship as a senior.

Golden Nuggets

• Nickname is "Gravedigger", which was given to him in college because of his violent sacks.
• First love was basketball. As a junior at North Rowan (Spencer, SC) HS, he was named conference player of the year and followed up by leading his team to the state championship as a senior.

Goldmine

• The trajectory of Hargrave's football career changed during a game against Bethune-Cookman his junior year when he sacked the quarterback six times, which broke the school's single-game record and tied the MEAC and FCS records. "That one game changed my life — it really did," Hargrave said. "That game was the spark for a lot of good things that have happened to me."Hargave finished his junior season ranked 4th in the FCS for sacks (16.0) and was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Year while also being named an FCS All-American by the Associated Press. Although it took that game for Hargrave to put his name on the map, those around him knew that he was capable of being a successful football player. David Blanchard, South Carolina State's defensive line coach, saw it in him his freshman year when he was struggling to make it through workouts. "A lot of people couldn't see it because he wasn't in shape," Blanchard said. "But his first step was amazing, just getting off the ball. I know I couldn't believe it. I told the guys, I said, 'man this guy is special.'"

• Coming out of North Rowan (Spencer, SC) HS, Hargrave had undeniable talent on the football field, but his grades did not allow him to attract many opportunities to play at the next level. Late in the recruiting process, he was offered a scholarship from South Carolina State University, a small Historically Black College and University in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Due to his grades, Hargrave could not enroll right away, so he remained at home in Salisbury and worked at a fiberglass factory while taking virtual classes to help him qualify for the spring semester. "I was really down," Hargrave said. "It was one of my low points. I didn't know if I was going to be able to play football. That's when I gained all my weight. I was 260 in high school, (then grew to) 290-300. I sat in the house and ate. I didn't come outside; I wasn't working out anymore." When Hargrave arrived on South Carolina State's campus in January of 2012, he was out of shape and struggled to make it through team workouts, but his work ethic and determination to finish each drill impressed the coaching staff. His hard work earned him playing time once the season started and he took full advantage, earning a spot on the FCS All-Freshman Team.

College

• Hargrave (6-2, 305) was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round (89th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft. Throughout his seven-year NFL career with the Steelers (2016-19) and Philadelphia Eagles (2020-22), he has appeared in 111 games (96 starts) and registered 329 tackles, 37.5 sacks, six passes defensed, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Hargrave has also appeared in eight postseason contests and added 22 tackles, 3.0 sacks and one pass defensed. He was selected to the 2022 Pro Bowl following his second season with Philadelphia.
• Last season with the Eagles, Hargrave started all 17 games and finished with 60 tackles, a career-high 11.0 sacks, two fumble recoveries, two passes defensed and one forced fumble. He also started all three postseason games and notched nine tackles, 1.0 sack and one pass defensed.
• A 30-year-old native of Salisbury, NC, Hargrave attended South Carolina State University for four years (2012-15) where he started 47 games and registered 200 tackles, 62 tackles for loss, 37.0 sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. While at SCSU, Hargrave won back-to-back Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Awards (2014-15).