Jon Van Diest imposing his will in Buffs’ defense

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports A team player through and through, Jon Van Diest was there when he was needed in 2020’s whirlwind of a season. Take a look at the Buffs leading tacklers from last year and his value immediately stands out. He was on the field for just 81 snaps last year but his 2.8 total tackles per game was comparable to nearly every player ahead of him that saw around 300 snaps. Yes, linebackers typically get a high number of tackles, but Van Diest was everything the Buffs could have asked for. Fellow inside linebacker Nate Landman is a tough dude to beat out, though.

For Van Diest, he believes his work ethic will provide that extra nudge to get him on the field more…