Eric Wilson (linebacker, born 1994) facts for kids

Eric André Wilson, born on September 26, 1994, is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the Packers, he played college football for Northwestern and Cincinnati. He started his NFL journey in 2017 with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent. He has also played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, and New Orleans Saints.

Early Life and High School Football

Eric Wilson grew up in Redford, Michigan. He played high school football at Lee M. Thurston High School. During his senior year, he made 64 tackles and four sacks. A tackle is when a player stops an opponent with the ball. A sack is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage.

He played several positions in high school. These included safety, linebacker, and wide receiver. Eric also earned many awards, like All-State and Team MVP. He was a letterman in football, track, and basketball. He even became a State Champion in the long jump.

College Football Career

Eric Wilson began his college football career in 2012. He joined the Northwestern Wildcats at Northwestern University. He was "redshirted" that year, which means he practiced with the team but did not play in any games. This allowed him to gain experience without using up a year of his college playing eligibility.

In 2013, he moved to the University of Cincinnati. He played for the Cincinnati Bearcats from 2013 to 2016. He had to sit out the 2013 season due to NCAA transfer rules. These rules require players to wait a year before playing if they transfer schools.

He was recognized as one of the best players in his conference. He was named Second-team All-American Athletic Conference (AAC) in 2015. The next year, in 2016, he was named First-team All-AAC. During his college career, he played in 38 games and started 24 of them. Eric graduated from Cincinnati in December 2016 with a degree in sports management.

Professional Football Career

Before the NFL Draft

Before the 2017 NFL draft, experts evaluated Eric Wilson. NFLDraftScout.com rated him as the 21st best outside linebacker. They thought he might be picked in the seventh round. Another expert, Lance Zierlein from NFL.com, predicted he would be drafted in the fifth or sixth round.

Playing for the Minnesota Vikings

Eric Wilson started his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings. He signed with them on May 1, 2017, as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't chosen in the NFL Draft but was still signed by a team.

In 2018, he got his first NFL sack. This happened in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears. He tackled quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

During the 2019 season, Eric had a great game in Week 3. He recorded two sacks against Derek Carr of the Oakland Raiders. In Week 17, he made a team-high 12 tackles against the Chicago Bears.

On March 16, 2020, the Vikings kept Eric by placing a special "restricted free agent tender" on him. He signed a one-year contract. In Week 2 of the 2020 season, Eric got his first career interception. He caught a pass thrown by Philip Rivers of the Indianapolis Colts. In Week 5, he sacked Russell Wilson and intercepted another pass from him. Later, in Week 8, he recovered a fumble from Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. This play helped the Vikings win the game.

Time with Other Teams

After the Vikings, Eric Wilson played for a few other NFL teams.

• Philadelphia Eagles: He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in April 2021. He started as a middle linebacker but was released in November 2021.
• Houston Texans: The Houston Texans then picked him up. He was claimed off waivers, which means they took over his contract.
• New Orleans Saints: In May 2022, Eric signed with the New Orleans Saints. He was released before the season started but later joined their practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but are not on the main roster.

Joining the Green Bay Packers

On October 4, 2022, the Green Bay Packers signed Eric Wilson from the Saints' practice squad. He quickly made an impact. On October 16, he blocked a punt by Braden Mann during a game against the New York Jets.

Eric re-signed with the Packers in March 2023. In the playoffs that season, he recovered a fumble against the San Francisco 49ers. He re-signed with the Packers again in March 2024.

In Week 3 of the 2024 season, Eric had an amazing game against the Indianapolis Colts. He earned a very high grade from Pro Football Focus. He forced a fumble, made a tackle for loss, and had an interception. In Week 7, he stepped in for an injured teammate against the Houston Texans. He had two sacks and four tackles for loss against quarterback C. J. Stroud. He again earned the highest grade among Packers defensive players.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats