David James Brandt, a Grand Rapids native, was a standout defensive and offensive lineman at Jenison High School, started for four years on the offensive line playing center and guard at the University of Michigan and played those same positions in the NFL for the Washington Commanders and San Diego Chargers over a four-year span.
He was voted “Mr. Football” as the top player in Michigan as a senior at Jenison in 1995, helping lead the Wildcats to the OK Red championship. He was an all-conference selection twice in high school and an all-state selection his senior year when he also played in the East-West All-Star Game. In addition to football, he was a school record holder and all-conference in shot put and discus as part of the track and field teams. He is in the Jenison High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
At Michigan, he was a member of the 1997 National Championship team that won the Rose Bowl and was a contributor to three Big Ten Championship teams (’97, ’98 and 2000). A three-time All-Big Ten Scholar Athlete, he was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2000 and played in the NCAA East-West All-Star Game.
He was undrafted by the NFL in 2001 but signed as a free agent by the Washington Commanders. He played with Washington in 2001 and ’02, including 13 games in his rookie season, and was traded in April of 2003 to the Green Bay Packers, who waived him in August. The San Diego Chargers later signed him and he played with the Chargers through 2004.
He moved back to the Grand Rapids area following his NFL career, has coached lineman for local high school and recreation programs and is an avid outdoorsman. He and his wife Jennifer have two children, Hunter and Hudson.