Dave Ball (defensive end)

David Stewart Ball (born January 4, 1981) is an American former college and professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons. He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and earned unanimous All-American honors. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and has also played for the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans of the NFL.

Ball was born in Fairfield, California. He attended Dixon High School in Dixon, California, where he was a three-year letterman for the Dixon High School football and basketball teams.

Ball attended the University of California, Los Angeles, where he played defensive end for the UCLA Bruins football team from 2000 to 2003. He was a starter during his final three seasons. In 2003, Ball tied for the national lead with 16.5 quarterback sacks, setting a UCLA record. He also set the UCLA record for most career sacks with 30.5. Ball earned unanimous first-team All-American honors in 2003, and was selected as the ABC-Chevrolet National Defensive Player of the Year, and won the Pop Warner Award as the top senior player on the West Coast. Ball was also a two-time first-team All-Pac-10 selection.

Ball was drafted in the fifth round by the San Diego Chargers (pick no. 133) in the 2004 NFL Draft. He was released by the Chargers during the 2005 season and was picked up by the New York Jets. Ball was signed as a free agent by the Carolina Panthers on March 26, 2007. On September 1, 2007 Ball was cut from the Panthers before the start of the NFL regular season. Ball did not play in the 2007 season, despite being signed by the Titans in January prior to their playoff game against the San Diego Chargers. Ball played for Tennessee from 2008 to 2011. In his NFL career, he has had 123 tackles and 15.5 sacks.