Chris Kolarevic

Chris Kolarevic
Kolarevic with Nebraska in 2022
No. 48
PositionLinebacker
Personal information
Born (1999-07-14) July 14, 1999 (age 27)
Traverse City, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Listed weight
225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High schoolSt. Francis (Traverse City)
CollegeNorthern Iowa (2017–2019)
Nebraska (2021–2022)
NFL draft2023: undrafted
Career history
2023Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Awards and highlights
  • Second-team All-MVFC (2019)
Stats at CFL.ca

Chris Kolarevic (born July 14, 1999) is an American former football linebacker. He played college football at Northern Iowa and Nebraska, and professionally for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Early life

Kolarevic played high school football at St. Francis High School in Traverse City, Michigan, earning all-state honors his senior year.

College career

Kolarevic played college football at Northern Iowa from 2018 to 2019. He was redshirted in 2017. He played in six games in 2018 before suffering an injury, recording 65 tackles (including 3.0 for loss), one interception, and four breakups. Kolarevic earned HERO Sports first-team FCS freshman All-American honors for his performance during the 2018 season. He appeared in 10 games in 2019, totaling 79 tackles (including 6.5 for loss), two sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble, and one interception that was returned for a touchdown. He was named the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) Defensive Player of the Week twice during the 2019 season, and also earned second-team All-MVFC honors. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kolarevic transferred to play at Nebraska from 2021 to 2022. He played in every game in 2021, accumulating 27 tackles (including 1.0 for loss). He again played in every game in 2022, recording 33 tackles (including 1.0 for loss) and one blocked punt. Kolarevic also had a game-sealing interception against Iowa on November 25, 2022.

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 1 in
(1.85 m)
224 lb
(102 kg)
31+1⁄4 in
(0.79 m)
10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)
4.66 s1.59 s2.70 s4.22 s6.88 s38.0 in
(0.97 m)
10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)
21 reps
All values from Pro Day

After going undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft, Kolarevic attended rookie mini-camp on a tryout basis with both the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints in May 2023. Kolarevic was signed to the practice roster of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League (CFL) on August 1, 2023. He was promoted to the active roster on September 2, moved back to the practice roster on September 14, and promoted to the active roster again on October 25. He was placed on injured reserve on November 3, 2023. Overall, Kolarevic dressed in three games for the Tiger-Cats in 2023, recording one special teams tackle. He retired on May 6, 2024.

Coaching career

In 2025, Kolarevic became the linebackers coach at Iowa Western Community College. He helped them win the NJCAA Division I national championship during the 2025 junior college football season.

References

  1. 1 2 "Chris Kolarevic". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Chris Kolarevic". unipanthers.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Chris Kolarevic". huskers.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ McLaughlin, Brian (December 17, 2018). "HERO Sports FCS Freshman All-American Team (2018)". herosports.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Chris Kolarevic". huskers.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ "McElvain, Allen lead way for Northern Iowa in 38-7 victory". ESPN.com. November 23, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Kolarevic, McElvain Earn Player of the Week Honors". unipanthers.com. September 29, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Valley Football - Players of the Week (Oct. 20)". valley-football.org. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Missouri Valley Football Announces 2019 All-Conference Squad" (PDF). valley-football.org. December 2, 2019. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  10. ↑ Gabriel, Parker (April 19, 2021). "'A freak of nature': Transfer Kolarevic has fit in well to suddenly veteran Husker ILB room". journalstar.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  11. ↑ Bland, Evan (April 20, 2021). "Chris Kolarevic is a new Husker, but he's far from a rookie". omaha.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ McKewon, Sam (March 7, 2022). "Chris Kolarevic is embracing the chance to become Nebraska's next JoJo Domann". omaha.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ Kraus, Marissa (October 3, 2022). "Chris Kolarevic on his blocked punt and looking ahead to Nebraska vs. Rutgers". omaha.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  14. ↑ "NEBRASKA BEATS IOWA, 24-17". huskers.com. November 25, 2022. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Chris Kolarevic". draftscout.com. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  16. ↑ Mayer, Larry (May 4, 2023). "Bears begin rookie minicamp at Halas Hall". Chicago Bears. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  17. ↑ "New Orleans Saints announce 2023 Rookie Minicamp roster". neworleanssaints.com. May 13, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2026.
  18. 1 2 3 "Hamilton Tiger-Cats Transactions". footballdb.com. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ "Chris Kolarevic". cfl.ca. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Hamilton Tiger-Cats Transactions". Footballdb.com. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Chris Kolarevic". Iowa Western Reivers. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  22. ↑ Kennedy, Will (December 18, 2025). "Iowa Western football takes down Hutchinson for NJCAA national title". The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. Retrieved January 5, 2026.