Eric Deslauriers
Encyclopedia
Éric Deslauriers is a professional Canadian football
slotback
for the Montreal Alouettes
of the Canadian Football League
. He played college football
at Eastern Michigan University
.
Deslauriers was born in Gatineau
, Quebec
, and attended Champlain College
in Sherbrooke in the 2000–01 season. Eric became the starting quarterback
for the Cougar team upon his arrival. In 10 games that season as the Cougars QB, Eric had 56 rushing attempts for 232 yards and 3 rushing Touchdowns as well as completing 77 of 177 passes for 1347 yards and 10 passing Touchdowns. He was named a first team all-star as QB that season.
In 2002, Deslauriers received a full football scholarship from the NCAA's Division 1 Mid-American Conference's Eastern Michigan University
. After playing the quarterback position all of his life, the Eagles' coaching staff decided to tap into Deslauriers' natural athletic abilities, (6'4 215lbs), and switched him to the wide receiver position because of a surplus of quarterbacks on the team.
After sitting out the 2002 season as a redshirt, Deslauriers finally arrived as a force to be reckoned with in the 2003 season
. Deslauriers had 84 receptions that year for 1,257 yards and an EMU-record 13 TD receptions, all while being named the team MVP that year.
Deslauriers completed his Communications major at EMU. He finished his football career at EMU as the Eagles' career leader in touchdown receptions, with 27, total receiving yards, 3,250, and most receptions with 248. He shares the EMU record for TD's in a game with 4. Tied an EMU record for points in a game with 26 on November 6, 2004. He also had 6 games with his receptions numbers in double figures, he had 2, 14-reception games, had 14 games with 100 plus yards receiving and recorded a career best 209 yards at Ball State on October 9, 2004. Deslauries earned 4 varsity letters,(2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), and finished 5th in Mid-American Conference
history with 248 receptions and 8th in league history with 3,250 yards while also putting together an amazing 35 game streak with at least one reception.
After trying out for the Pittsburgh Steelers
of the National Football League
, Deslauriers signed a 4-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes
of the Canadian Football League
. He was Montreal's 7th overall draft pick in 2006. In his first year with limited playing time, Eric had 23 receptions for 325 yards and 1 TD.
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
slotback
Slotback
Slotback is a position in Gridiron football . The slotback is similar to the wide receiver but also has many of the same traits as a running back, lines up closer to the offensive line and often farther back...
for the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan Eagles football
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are a college football program at Eastern Michigan University. They compete in Division I Football Bowl Subdivision and the Mid-American Conference...
.
Deslauriers was born in Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, and attended Champlain College
Champlain College
Champlain College is a private, coeducational college located in Burlington, Vermont. It offers professionally focused programs that incorporate an interdisciplinary core curriculum. In addition to its main campus, the College maintains study-abroad campuses in Montreal and Dublin, and offers...
in Sherbrooke in the 2000–01 season. Eric became the starting quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Cougar team upon his arrival. In 10 games that season as the Cougars QB, Eric had 56 rushing attempts for 232 yards and 3 rushing Touchdowns as well as completing 77 of 177 passes for 1347 yards and 10 passing Touchdowns. He was named a first team all-star as QB that season.
In 2002, Deslauriers received a full football scholarship from the NCAA's Division 1 Mid-American Conference's Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
. After playing the quarterback position all of his life, the Eagles' coaching staff decided to tap into Deslauriers' natural athletic abilities, (6'4 215lbs), and switched him to the wide receiver position because of a surplus of quarterbacks on the team.
After sitting out the 2002 season as a redshirt, Deslauriers finally arrived as a force to be reckoned with in the 2003 season
2003 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
The 2003 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in the college football season of 2003, playing their home games in Rynearson Stadium. They competed in the 2003 NCAA Division I-A football season. Eastern Michigan competed as a member of the Mid-American...
. Deslauriers had 84 receptions that year for 1,257 yards and an EMU-record 13 TD receptions, all while being named the team MVP that year.
Deslauriers completed his Communications major at EMU. He finished his football career at EMU as the Eagles' career leader in touchdown receptions, with 27, total receiving yards, 3,250, and most receptions with 248. He shares the EMU record for TD's in a game with 4. Tied an EMU record for points in a game with 26 on November 6, 2004. He also had 6 games with his receptions numbers in double figures, he had 2, 14-reception games, had 14 games with 100 plus yards receiving and recorded a career best 209 yards at Ball State on October 9, 2004. Deslauries earned 4 varsity letters,(2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), and finished 5th in Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
history with 248 receptions and 8th in league history with 3,250 yards while also putting together an amazing 35 game streak with at least one reception.
After trying out for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, Deslauriers signed a 4-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
of the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
. He was Montreal's 7th overall draft pick in 2006. In his first year with limited playing time, Eric had 23 receptions for 325 yards and 1 TD.