EAGAN, Minn. — There's a new big man on campus.

Literally.

The Vikings have signed 6-foot-7, 307-pound tackle Ryan Van Demark, the team announced Friday.

Van Demark got his NFL start as an undrafted rookie with the Colts in 2022 but was waived during Indianapolis' final roster cuts and joined the Bills practice squad. He's been with Buffalo ever since, playing 43 games (six starts) over the past three seasons.

Van Demark has contributed both on special teams (kick return and field goal/PAT kick protection) and on offensive line as a reserve option. In 2025, he started three games at right tackle and one at left tackle, logging a career-high 312 offensive snaps.

Here are five things to know about the Vikings new lineman:

1. Baby model turned pro athlete

Van Demark found success long before he stepped onto the gridiron.

He and his brother were baby models for a variety of different brands, from Fisher-Price and Toys "R" Us to Polo Ralph Lauren.

"I mean, we've got all the pictures hanging up," he told The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia in 2023. "It's a fun fact about me."

2. Spikes and blocks

Van Demark hails from Wayne, New Jersey, where he played volleyball (called "a dominant force" by his coach), golf and football at Wayne Valley High School. His volleyball team won the state championship in 2016, and he considered sticking to the court in college, but Van Demark ultimately pivoted to a football-only focus.

After he graduated in 2016, Van Demark spent a postgraduate year at the Hun School of Princeton to continue developing his football skills before college. He went on to play 43 games for the UConn Huskies.

3. Oh… and he surfs, too

Van Demark truly is a well-rounded athlete.

In addition to his history on the volleyball court and golf course, success on the gridiron and participation in Micah Hyde's celebrity softball game, he's an avid surfer.

Van Demark was the inaugural "Fat Boy of the Month" in November 2023 as a brand ambassador for Fat Boy Surf Club, whose motto is, "We believe surfing is for everyone."

Van Demark enjoys surfing in Barbados, has been invited to Kelly Slater's Surf Ranch in California and hopes to one day hit the waves in Bali.

4. Son of a pro baller

Van Demark's 6-foot-8 father Jeff played basketball at Lehigh University and graduated as the fifth-highest scorer in school history. Though he didn't see an NBA career take flight, Jeff played professionally in Europe — including in Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy.

5. Besties with Brynlee

During a visit with teammates to Oishei Children's Hospital in 2024, Van Demark met 6-year-old Brynlee, who at the time was battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The two hit it off immediately and stayed connected — Van Demark taking her to Dave & Busters and Brynlee making sure to send hype videos to the lineman prior to every Bills game.

"He's my best friend," Brynlee said in an interview with Buffalo's WKBW TV.

The feeling is mutual.

"She's telling everybody we're best friends, and she's not lyin'," a smiling Van Demark said.

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