Éric Deslauriers facts for kids
| Winnipeg Blue Bombers | |
Deslauriers with the Alouettes in 2022
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| Born: | March 21, 1981 Gatineau, Quebec, Canada |
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| Career information | |
| CFL status | National |
| Position(s) | Senior Director of Player Personnel |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 206 lb (93 kg) |
| College | Eastern Michigan |
| CFL draft | 2006 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7 |
| Drafted by | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career history | |
| As administrator | |
| 2016–2018 | Montreal Alouettes (Football Operations Assistant and Scout) |
| 2019 | Montreal Alouettes (Player Personnel Coordinator) |
| 2019–2024–present | Montreal Alouettes (Director of Football Operations) |
| 2025–present | Winnipeg Blue Bombers (Senior Director of Player Personnel) |
| As player | |
| 2007–2015 | Montreal Alouettes |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career stats | |
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Éric Deslauriers was born on March 21, 1981, in Gatineau, Quebec. He is a well-known name in Canadian football. Éric played as a slotback for nine years with the Montreal Alouettes. During his time as a player, he helped his team win two Grey Cup championships.
After his playing career, Éric moved into a management role. He is now the Senior Director of Player Personnel for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. This means he helps find and choose the best players for the team.
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Early Life and High School Football
Éric Deslauriers grew up in Gatineau, Quebec. He loved football from a young age. He attended Champlain College in Sherbrooke for the 2000–01 season.
At Champlain College, Éric became the starting quarterback for the Cougars team. He was very good at both running with the ball and throwing it. In one season, he ran for 232 yards and scored three touchdowns. He also threw for 1,347 yards and 10 touchdowns. His great performance earned him a spot as a first-team all-star quarterback.
College Football Career
In 2002, Éric received a special scholarship to play football at Eastern Michigan University. This was a big step, as it was a Division 1 school in the NCAA. Even though he had always been a quarterback, the coaches saw his amazing athletic skills. They decided to change his position to wide receiver. This was because the team already had many quarterbacks.
Éric spent the 2002 season as a "redshirt" player. This means he practiced with the team but did not play in games. This helped him learn his new position.
Becoming a Star Wide Receiver
In the 2004 season, Éric truly shined as a wide receiver. He caught 84 passes for 1,257 yards. He also set a new record for Eastern Michigan University with 13 touchdown catches in one season. His incredible play made him the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP) that year.
Éric finished his college career with many records. He became the Eagles' all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 27. He also had the most receiving yards with 3,250. He caught 248 passes in total, which was also a record. He even tied a school record by scoring 4 touchdowns in one game!
He played in 35 games in a row where he caught at least one pass. This shows how consistent he was. Éric earned four varsity letters during his time at Eastern Michigan. He studied Communications while playing football.
Professional Football Journey
After college, Éric tried out for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League (NFL). Then, he signed a four-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Alouettes chose him as the 7th overall pick in the 2006 CFL Draft.
In his first year, 2007, he played in a limited number of games. He still managed to catch 23 passes for 325 yards and one touchdown. Over his nine-year career, Éric played in 115 regular season games. He caught 99 passes for 1,334 yards and scored three touchdowns. He was a key part of the Alouettes teams that won the Grey Cup in 2009 and 2010.
Life After Playing: Administration
Éric Deslauriers stopped playing football in February 2016. However, he stayed with the Montreal Alouettes team. He started working as a football operations assistant and a scout. This meant he helped the team with daily tasks and looked for new talented players.
He continued to move up in the team's management. In 2019, he became the Player Personnel Coordinator. This role meant he had more responsibility in finding and managing players. Later that year, he was promoted again to Director of Football Operations.
In January 2025, Éric joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He is now their Senior Director of Player Personnel. This is a very important job where he helps build the Blue Bombers team.
