MADISON, Wis. -- When talking with Andrew Van Ginkel off the field, he’s a fairly quiet, even-keeled guy.

But Andrew Van Ginkel on a football field? That guy flies way, way above the radar.

When the Rock Valley, Iowa native transferred to Wisconsin to play his final two seasons of eligibility, Madison got to know his name pretty quick thanks to some stadium-quaking plays. By the end of his first season with the Badgers, Van Ginkel had amassed 39 tackles, 10.0 TFLs, and 6.5 sacks, and recorded two forced fumbles, two interceptions and four pass breakups.

By the end of his collegiate career, this was a common occurrence:

Folks in Miami may not be chanting his name quite yet, but early reports from the Dolphins’ practices indicate that they definitely know it.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wrote up an article about the Dolphins’ early impressions of Van Ginkel, in which, he summarizes one of the former Badger’s more notable moments on the field during an open-to-the-media OTA session.

“It was encouraging to see rookie linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel drop back into coverage and make a nice play in the end zone to keep a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass from being completed,” Jackson wrote.

It turns out, he wasn’t the only one to do a double-take.

“He has done a nice job,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said. “Good speed, instinctive. He has a playmaking knack we liked. Hopefully, that translates.”

“I think he’s going to be pretty good [in general],” fellow linebacker Raekwon McMillan added. “He’s a good young cat. Listens very well, understands what we’re trying to get done as a defense.”

That ability to quickly pick up a new scheme likely comes from the fact that he did it three separate times in college. Van Ginkel started out at South Dakota, but transferred to Iowa Western after two seasons. He played just one season there before finding his way to the Badgers for their 2017 and 2018 campaigns and immediately earning a spot on the field.

His first year on campus, Van Ginkel played in all 14 games for a unit that ended up ranking No. 2 nationally in total defense. The next season was a similar story, only out of 13 games, he earned a starting role for 10--while playing through an ankle injury, might we add.

While Van Ginkel’s adaptability has seemed to serve him well so far, of course, there’s certainly room for improvement. But for now, reports say the Dolphins want Van Ginkel to just keep on doing what he does well while showing that he’s willing and able to learn and take on more.

“Coaches are going to keep guys around that can play all different positions,” Van Ginkel said (via MiamiHerald.com). “I’m going to try to earn a starting spot no matter where I’m at.”