Ben Wilkerson facts for kids

Benjamin Lorenza Wilkerson, born on November 22, 1982, is an American football coach. He used to play football professionally. Today, he is an assistant offensive line coach for the New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). Ben played as a center in the NFL for four seasons. This was from 2005 to 2008. Before that, he played college football for the LSU Tigers. He was recognized as an All-American and won the Rimington Trophy. He joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 2005. He also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the Florida Tuskers. The Tuskers were part of the United Football League (UFL).

Early Life and High School

Ben Wilkerson was born in Port Arthur, Texas. He grew up there and later graduated from Hemphill High School. This high school is located in Hemphill, Texas.

College Football Career

Ben received a scholarship to attend Louisiana State University. He played for the LSU Tigers football team. His coach was Nick Saban. Ben played for LSU from 2001 to 2004.

In 2003, as a junior, Ben was part of a special team. His team won the SEC Championship. They then defeated the Oklahoma Sooners 21–14. This big win earned them the BCS National Championship.

After his senior season in 2004, Ben received many awards. He was named a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) player. He was also a consensus first-team All-American. This means many different groups agreed he was one of the best players. He also won the Rimington Trophy. This award goes to the best college football center in the entire country.

Professional Playing Career

After college, Ben Wilkerson was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals. This happened in 2005. He was an undrafted free agent. This means no team picked him in the NFL Draft. But he was still signed to play.

He was with the Bengals from 2005 to 2006. He played in three games during the 2006 season. After that, he played for the Atlanta Falcons. He was with the Falcons from 2007 to 2008. He played in 29 games for them.

In 2009, Ben joined the Florida Tuskers. This team was part of the United Football League (UFL).

Coaching Career

After his playing days, Ben Wilkerson became a football coach.

LSU Graduate Assistant

In 2011, Ben returned to his old college team, the LSU Tigers. He worked as a graduate assistant. This means he helped the coaching staff while also studying. He worked under coach Les Miles.

Grambling State Offensive Line Coach

From 2012 to 2013, Ben was the offensive line coach at Grambling State University. He was in charge of training the players who block for the offense.

High School Coaching

In 2014, Ben coached at North Shore Senior High School in Texas. He was a PE teacher there. He also helped coach the football and track teams.

NFL Coaching Roles

Ben Wilkerson has coached for several teams in the NFL.

Chicago Bears

On February 11, 2015, the Chicago Bears hired Ben. He became their assistant offensive line coach.

New York Giants

On February 5, 2018, Ben moved to the New York Giants. He continued as an assistant offensive line coach. Even when the Giants changed head coaches in 2020, Ben stayed on the team's staff. He even coached the offensive line in a game against the Dallas Cowboys in 2021. He left the Giants after the 2021 season.

New York Jets

On March 7, 2022, Ben Wilkerson was hired by the New York Jets. He is currently their assistant offensive line coach.

Personal Life

Ben Wilkerson is married to his wife, Angi. They have four children together. Their names are Brianna, Isabella, Jordan, and Benjamin ll.