Chandler Zavala

Chandler Zavala (born April 2, 1999) is an American football guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Fairmont State and NC State.

Early years
Zavala was born on April 2, 1999, in Boynton Beach, Florida. He later attended Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he originally played basketball before a coach advised him on playing football as it provided a better chance for him to receive an athletic scholarship.

College career
Zavala played college football for the Fairmont State Fighting Falcons from 2017 until deciding to transferring due to Fairmont's 2020 season being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He eventually chose to play for the NC State Wolfpack as his mother lived near campus. Zavala was named first-team All-Mountain East Conference with Fairmont in 2018 and 2019 and first-team All-Atlantic Coastal Conference with NC State in 2022.

Professional career
Zavala was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fourth round, 114th overall, of the 2023 NFL draft.

He was named the Week 1 starting right guard as a rookie, but moved to left guard the following week and started the next four games. In a Week 5 game against the Detroit Lions, Zavala suffered a neck injury in the first quarter. He was sent to a local hospital. He returned to the starting lineup in Week 11 before suffering a knee injury the following week. He was placed on injured reserve on November 29, 2023.

Personal life
Zavala's father, Demetrio, is a frequent contestant on the Food Network competitive cooking show Chopped.