Hawk Item – – Member of 2019 Leadership Group.
2019 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for third year . . . Coaches Appreciation Award, offense . . . 2019 – – Saw action in all 13 games, with 11 starts at left guard . . . started at left guard for first career start in 38-14 win over Miami as offense gained 213 net rushing yards and 465 yards total offense . . . also recorded one solo tackle . . . started at left guard in 30-0 win over Rutgers as offense gained 438 yards total offense . . . started at left guard in 18-17 win at Iowa State . . . started at left guard in 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee as offense gained 644 yards total offense . . . started at left guard and played every offensive down in 10-3 loss at #18 Michigan . . . started at left guard in 17-12 loss to #9 Penn State . . . started at left guard in 26-20 win over Purdue . . . started at left guard in 20-0 win at Northwestern . . . saw action in 24-22 loss at #16 Wisconsin . . . started at left guard in 23-19 win over #7 Minnesota . . . started at left guard in 19-10 win over Illinois as offense gained 387 yards total offense . . . started at left guard in 27-24 win at Nebraska . . . saw action in 49-24 Holiday Bowl win over #22 USC.
2018 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten for second year . . . 2018 – – Saw action in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois as offense gained 209 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 13-3 win over Iowa State . . . saw action in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa as offense gained 545 yards total offense . . . saw action in 28-17 loss to #18 Wisconsin . . . saw action in 48-31 win at Minnesota as offense gained 420 yards total offense . . . saw action in 42-16 win at Indiana as offense gained 479 yards total offense . . . saw action in 23-0 win over Maryland as offense gained 224 net rushing yards . . . saw action on special teams in 30-24 loss at #17 Penn State . . . saw action on special teams in 38-36 loss at Purdue . . . saw action on special teams in 14-10 loss to Northwestern . . . saw action in 63-0 win at Illinois as offense gained 400 yards total offense . . . saw action in 31-28 win over Nebraska as offense rushed for 226 yards and gained 419 yards total offense . . . saw action on special teams in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State.
2017 Honors – – Academic All-Big Ten . . . 2017 – – Saw action on special teams in 27-20 Pinstripe Bowl win over Boston College.
2016 – – Saw action in one game . . . did not see action in 45-21 win over Miami . . . saw first action of career in 42-3 win over Iowa State as offense gained 435 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 23-21 loss to North Dakota State . . . did not see action in 14-7 win at Rutgers . . . did not see action in 38-31 loss to Northwestern . . . did not see action in 14-7 win at Minnesota . . . did not see action in 49-35 win at Purdue . . . did not see action in 17-9 loss to #10 Wisconsin . . . did not see action in 41-14 loss at #12 Penn State . . . did not see action in 14-13 win over #2 Michigan . . . did not see action in 28-0 win at Illinois . . . did not see action in 40-10 win over #15 Nebraska . . . did not see action in 30-3 Outback Bowl loss to #17 Florida.
2015 – – Redshirted.
High school honors – – Named to Des Moines Register Elite All-State team as an offensive lineman as a senior . . . named Class A first-team all-state as a senior by Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association . . . All-Northwest Iowa and all-district first team as a senior, along with being named district offensive MVP . . . selected to compete in Iowa Shrine Bowl following senior season and nominee for U.S. Army All-American Bowl . . . as a junior, was second-team all-state by Des Moines Register, first-team all-district and third-team all-Northwest Iowa . . . first-team all-district and fourth-team All-Northwest Iowa as a sophomore . . . Career – – Four-year letterman as offensive guard and defensive tackle . . . team captain for final three prep seasons . . . helped prep team reach playoffs as a freshman, sophomore and senior, with 10-2 record in final prep season as team reached state quarterfinals . . . recorded 49 tackles as a senior, with 17 tackles for loss, three sacks, and two fumble recoveries . . . recorded 35 tackles as a junior . . . collected 52 tackles as a sophomore, with five tackles for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery . . . as a freshman recorded 14 tackles, including two tackles for loss and one sack, along with one blocked punt . . . also lettered in wrestling (4), track (3), and baseball (2) . . . placed second at the Class 1A state wrestling tournament as a junior.
Personal – – Born 10/10/96 . . . health and human physiology major . . . parents are Michelle and Dan Paulsen . . . member of National Honor Society . . . earned first-team academic all-state recognition as a junior and all-district honors as a senior . . . member of high Honor Roll . . . twin brother Levi is also an offensive lineman for Iowa football team . . . one of two sets of brothers on Iowa roster . . . high school coach was Kelly Manker.