Editor's Note: NDHSAA Media Specialist Tom Mix will periodically feature former student athletes and participants of NDHSAA-sponsored sports and activities on the NDHSAA NOW website (www.ndhsaanow.com).

This week's NDHSAA Member School Alumni Spotlight shines on Dan Arnold, a 2013 graduate of Fargo Shanley High School. Below is a list of accomplishments in Arnold's prep, collegiate and professional athletic career.

DAN ARNOLD - PREP ATHLETIC STANDOUT AT FARGO SHANLEY HIGH SCHOOL

GRADUATION YEAR: 2013

HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC CAREER

FOOTBALL:

• Played football at Boylan Catholic High School (Rockford, Illinois) School prior to transferring to Fargo Shanley High School his senior year. Was a member of Boylan Catholic’s 2011 Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 7A football state title team. 

• Caught 48 passes for 1,211 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Deacons in 2012.

• Caught at least one touchdown in 10 of Shanley’s 12 games in 2012.

• Caught three passes for 61 yards and one touchdown in Shanley’s NDHSAA Division AA quarterfinal playoff game vs. Grafton.

• Hauled in four passes for 118 yards and one touchdown in Shanley’s NDHSAA Division AA semifinal playoff vs. Beulah.

• Caught four passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns (a 59-yard score and a 16-yard score) in Shanley’s 14-8 win over Grafton during the 2012 NDHSAA Division AA football state championship game played at the Alerus Center. Arnold also rushed for 33 yards on three carries in the title game.

• Recevied North Dakota High School Coaches Association (NDHSCA) Division AA All-State First Team honors in 2012 at wide receiver.

BASKETBALL:

• Played Varsity basketball for Fargo Shanley during the 2012-13 season and was a member of the Deacons’ 2013 NDHSAA Class A state championship team.

TRACK AND FIELD:

• Ran track for the Deacons as a senior in spring of 2013.

• Was the Class A runner up in the boys 110 meter hurdles with a time of 14.47 seconds during the 2013 NDHSAA State Track and Field Meet held at the Bismarck Community Bowl.

COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL/TRACK CAREER

• Played his collegiate football at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville (NCAA Division III, Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Conference). Played wide receiver for the Pioneers from 2013-16.

• Caught 48 passes for 921 yards and 12 touchdowns leading the Pioneers in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns his junior year. 

• Caught 65 passes for 1,176 yards and 16 touchdowns leading the Pioneers in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns his senior year.

• Finished his collegiate football career with 124 catches for 2,195 yards and 30 touchdowns.

• Also competed in Track and Field at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. He finished runner up in the 110 meter hurdles (13.99 seconds) during the 2016 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships earning All-American honors. Arnold finished sixth in the 110 meter hurdles (14.16 seconds) during the 2015 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships earning All-American honors. In indoor competetion, Arnold was an All-American in the the 60-meter hurdles finishing second (7.85 seconds) at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.  

PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL CAREER

• Went undrafted out of college (2017) but received invitations to attend rookie minicamp and tryout for the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints.

• On June 5, 2017, the New Orleans Saints signed Arnold to a three-year contract. 

• In 2018, Arnold transitioned from wide receiver to tight end and played in 10 games for the Saints and made one start.

• Made his NFL debut on October 8, 2018 during the Saints’ 43-19 win over Washington at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The game was nationally televised on ESPN Monday Night Football.

• Recorded his first career reception on October 21 during the Saints 24-23 win over the Baltimore Ravens played at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. Arnold hauled in a 10-yard pass from Drew Brees in the second quarter. Arnold finished the game with two catches for 35 yards.

• Made his first career NFL start at tight end on November 11, 2018 during the Saints’ 51-14 win over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati. Arnold caught two passes for 25 yards in the game.

• On November 22, 2018 Arnold caught his first career NFL touchdown. Arnold hauled in a 25 yard pass from Drew Brees in the third quarter of the Saints’ 31-17 win over the Atlanta Falcons at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Thanksgiving Day. The game was nationally televised on NBC. Arnold caught four passes for 45 yards in the game.   

• Finished the 2018 season with 12 catches and 150 yards.

• Started the 2019 season on the Saints’ practice squad and was later promoted to the active roster on October 19, 2019. He played in a total of two games for the Saints in 2019 catching two passes for 25 yards before being waived by the team in December of 2019.

• On December 5, 2019 Arnold was claimed off waivers by the Arizona Cardinals. Arnold finished the 2019 NFL season playing in three games with the Cardinals including one start with the team. He caught six passes for 102 yards and two touchdowns in his three games with the Cardinals.

• Started in five games at tight end for the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 and played in all of the team's 16 games. Arnold finished the 2020 season with 31 catches for 438 yards and four touchdowns. Caught two touchdowns in the Cardinals' 38-38 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on December 6, 2020.

• Signed a two-year contract with the Carolina Panthers in March of 2021. Debuted with the Panthers on September 12, 2021 catching two passes for six yards in a game against the New York Jets.

• Was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Septermber 27, 2021.

• Finished the 2021 NFL season with 35 catches for 408 yards before being placed on injured reserve list on November 30 with a sprained MCL.

• Currently playing tight end for the Jacksonville Jaguars.