Erik Jensen is from Appleton, Wisconsin, where he was a highly prized prep earning Super Prep and Prep Star all-American, second-team all-state linebacker as a junior and senior, unanimous all-conference first-team selection as both fullback and linebacker in his final two seasons, and Running Back of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in the Fox Valley Association as a senior. As a senior, he won the state title in weightlifting, lifting a career-best total of 1,450 pounds in the bench press, squat and dead-lift. After high school, Erik decided to cast his lot with the Hawks and join the long list of outstanding tight ends that have donned the black & gold. While at Iowa, Erik was an accomplished student and was honored on the Academic all-Big 10 Team and was a key component in the resurgence of the Hawkeye football program under Coach Ferentz. In 2004, Erik was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round. Erik now lives back in Wisconsin with his wife, Kristin, and their four kids.