Cam Jurgens: From Cornhusker to Pro Bowl Eagle

Cameron Jurgens, born on August 21, 1999, is an American professional football center for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). His journey to the NFL is marked by a diverse athletic background, a transition from tight end to the offensive line, and a consistent presence on the field for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Early Life and High School Career

From a young age, Jurgens participated in a variety of youth sports leagues, reflecting his athletic versatility and the active rural lifestyle. In football, Jurgens played multiple positions, including tight end, fullback, linebacker, and punter, contributing on both offense and defense for the Beatrice Orangemen.

As a junior in 2016, he recorded 57 tackles and one interception from his linebacker position, helping Beatrice achieve an 8-1 record before a season-ending injury. During his senior year in 2017, despite missing half the season due to injury, Jurgens amassed 299 receiving yards on 18 catches with two touchdowns, along with 366 rushing yards on 68 carries and one touchdown, while adding 57 tackles and one interception on defense; he was recognized as Nebraska's consensus No.

Jurgens was also an All-Nebraska and Super-State selection at linebacker as a junior, when he led Beatrice with 98 tackles. He added 23 catches for 286 yards as a tight end. Jurgens also punted for the Orangemen, averaging 35.8 yards per punt. Jurgens was also a second-team Super-State selection as a sophomore, when he was one of only two underclassmen to make either the Super-State first or second team.

Jurgens battled injuries as a senior but still contributed offensively and defensively for the Orangemen and Coach Kevin Meyer. As a hybrid tight end, he rushed for 318 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, while also catching 17 passes for 277 yards. Defensively, Jurgens recorded 57 tackles and had one interception from his linebacker spot, helping Beatrice to an 8-1 record before suffering a season-ending injury in the final game of the regular season.

Beyond football, Jurgens excelled on the basketball court and in the discus and shot put at Beatrice, which helped him earn the honor as the 2017 Lincoln Journal Star Boys Athlete of the Year in the state of Nebraska. On the basketball court, Jurgens averaged 12.5 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game as a junior, when he was an honorable-mention Class B all-state selection. He missed his senior season due to injury. In track and field, Jurgens was one of the top throwers in Nebraska. A four-time Class B state champion in the discus and three-time champion in the shot put, Jurgens won the all-class gold medal in both the shot put and discus in each of his final three seasons.

Jurgens was rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals, ESPN and 247Sports. He was ranked among the nation’s top 200 recruits in the 247Sports Composite rankings and was regarded as the fourth-best tight end recruit in the country by ESPN.

College Career at Nebraska

Position Transition and Early Years

Jurgens committed to Nebraska and initially joined the team as a tight end. However, his career trajectory shifted as the coaching staff recognized his potential on the offensive line.

Jurgens redshirted in 2018 after appearing in one game prior to suffering a season-ending injury. After recovering from his injury, he began to practice at the interior offensive line. Jurgens ultimately moved to the center position and was named the Cornhuskers starter going into his redshirt freshman season.

2019 Season: Freshman Starter

In the 2019 season, Jurgens started all 12 games at center, becoming the first true or redshirt freshman to do so for Nebraska since the NCAA restored freshman eligibility in 1972. Despite his inexperience, he provided reliable pass protection, contributing to a unit that allowed 37 total sacks while earning recognition for his run-blocking effectiveness in Scott Frost's zone-based scheme; Pro Football Focus graded his overall performance as solid for a newcomer, highlighting his ability to identify blitzes and maintain leverage against interior defenders.

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He made history in the season opener against South Alabama, becoming the first Husker freshman (true or redshirt) to start a game at center since the NCAA restored freshmen eligibility in 1972. Jurgens played a key role in Nebraska producing its most total yards in a Big Ten Conference game (690 yards at Illinois).

Against Illinois, the Huskers totaled 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing for just the second time in school history en route to gaining the most yards in any conference game since 2007.

2020 Season: Sophomore Season

Jurgens started seven of eight games at center as a sophomore. He earned his 13th consecutive start at center in the Huskers’ season opener at No. 5 Ohio State, before an injury kept him out of the Northwestern game. He returned to start the final six games, including the season finale at Rutgers, when Nebraska had 620 yards of total offense.

2021 Season: Junior Season

In his redshirt junior season of 2021, Jurgens started all 12 games at center for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, anchoring the offensive line during a 3-9 campaign. Jurgens started every game at center in 2021, stretching his streak to 18 consecutive starts at the position. Against Fordham, Jurgens helped Nebraska total 300 yards rushing and passing in the same game for only the third time in program history.

During the winter, Jurgens joined the Nebraska track and field team for the indoor season.

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Accolades and Recognition

Throughout his college career, Jurgens earned several accolades, including being named to the Rimington Trophy Watch List, which recognizes the nation's top center.

NFL Career with the Philadelphia Eagles

Draft and Rookie Season

Jurgens declared for the NFL Draft after his junior season and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round. The Philadelphia Eagles selected successor in Nebraska's Cam Jurgens.

2023 Season: Transition to Right Guard

Jurgens entered the 2023 season as the Philadelphia Eagles' starting right guard, having secured the role during training camp following the departure of Isaac Seumalo to free agency. This marked his first significant starting opportunities after serving primarily as a backup during his 2022 rookie year. He started the first four games at right guard, appearing in 251 offensive snaps and contributing to an Eagles offense that ranked highly in rushing efficiency early in the season.

In Week 4 against the Washington Commanders on October 1, Jurgens suffered a foot sprain late in the Eagles' 34-31 victory, limiting him to just 28 snaps in that game. The injury sidelined him for the next five weeks, and the Eagles placed him on injured reserve on October 7, 2023.

Jurgens was activated from injured reserve on November 18, 2023, ahead of Week 11, and returned to the starting lineup immediately. He started the subsequent seven regular-season games in which he appeared (Weeks 11-14 and 16-18), sitting out only Week 15 due to inactivity, for a total of 11 regular-season starts and 654 offensive snaps.

2025 Season and Beyond

As of November 19, 2025 (following Week 11), Jurgens has appeared in nine games during the 2025 regular season, starting the first seven before sustaining a knee injury in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings on October 19 that sidelined him for Weeks 8 (vs. New York Giants) and 10 (at Green Bay Packers).

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Personal Life

The son of Ted and Beth Jurgens, Cam was born on Aug. 21, 1999. A nutrition and health sciences major, Jurgens earned his bachelor's degree from Nebraska in May of 2022 after being chosen in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.

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