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Luiji Vilain

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Luiji Vilain
refer to caption
Vilain with the Vikings in 2022
No. 53 – Dallas Cowboys
Position:Linebacker
Personal information
Born: (1998-03-10) March 10, 1998 (age 26)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Height:6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight:252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
High school:Episcopal (VA)
College:
CFL draft:2021 / round: 3 / pick: 25
Undrafted:2022
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Practice squad
Career NFL statistics as of 2023
Total tackles:4
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Luiji Vilain (born March 10, 1998) is a Canadian professional football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan Wolverines and Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2022.

Early years

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Vilain was born on March 10, 1998, in Ottawa, Ontario.[1][2] He attended Episcopal High School in Virginia. As a junior, he recorded 60 tackles, 15.5 tackles-for-loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and one recovered, earning second-team All-USA Virginia by USA Today and first-team All-IAC. As a senior, Vilain made 45 tackles and eight sacks as well as a fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. He was named first-team All-USA by USA Today, first-team All-Met by The Washington Post, and first-team All-IAC. He was invited to the Under Armour All-America Game and was a PrepStar Top 359 All-American player. Scout.com ranked him the top defensive end in Virginia and a four-star recruit. He was a four-star prospect according to ESPN, and was named the second-best player in Virginia, as well as the 102nd best nationally.[3]

College career

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Vilain committed to the University of Michigan after graduating from Episcopal High School.[4] In his first two seasons (2017, freshman; 2018, sophomore), he did not see any game action. He was an Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection in 2018. Prior to his junior year, Vilain moved from Toronto to the United States. As a junior in 2019, he played in seven games as a defensive lineman and made seven tackles, one tackle-for-loss, one sack, and one forced fumble, earning his first varsity letter. As a senior in the 2020 season, Vilain appeared in five games, recording four tackles for a second varsity letter.[3]

In 2021, Vilain announced his intention to transfer.[5] He transferred to Wake Forest for his fifth season, being given an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] In May, he was drafted in the third round (25th overall) of the Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft by the Toronto Argonauts, but chose to remain in college.[7]

As a fifth-year senior with Wake Forest in 2021, Vilain recorded a team-leading 9.0 sacks while also making 10.0 tackles-for-loss. He was one of three Wake Forest players to have double-digit tackles-for-loss and had a streak of four consecutive games with a sack.[8]

Professional career

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Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 3+5⁄8 in
(1.92 m) 		255 lb
(116 kg) 		34 in
(0.86 m) 		10+7⁄8 in
(0.28 m)		 4.81 s 1.57 s 2.69 s 4.35 s 7.01 s 35.0 in
(0.89 m)		 9 ft 10 in
(3.00 m)		 20 reps
All values from Pro Day[9]

Minnesota Vikings

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After going unselected in the 2022 NFL draft, Vilain was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings.[10] Kwity Paye, an All-Rookie defensive lineman with the Indianapolis Colts, who was roommates with Vilain at Michigan, said "I think the Vikings got a big steal getting him in free agency. He's just that type of player where I feel he didn't get his fair chance at Michigan, but he’s going to definitely maximize his opportunity and give the Vikings everything he has. He's an extremely gifted athlete."[11] After having a solid training camp and impressing in preseason with a fumble return and interception, he made the Vikings' final roster.[12] Vilain only appeared in three games for Minnesota in 2022, totaling four tackles.[2] He was waived on August 29, 2023, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[13][14]

Carolina Panthers

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On October 24, 2023, Vilain was signed by the Carolina Panthers off the Vikings practice squad.[15] He was placed on injured reserve on November 7.[16]

On August 27, 2024, Vilain was waived by the Panthers.[17]

Cleveland Browns

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On September 11, 2024, Vilain was signed to the Cleveland Browns practice squad, and released two weeks later.[18][19]

Dallas Cowboys

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On October 9, 2024, Vilain was signed to the Dallas Cowboys practice squad.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "Luiji Vilain". ESPN.
  2. ^ a b "Luiji Vilain Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Luiji Vilain". mgoblue.com. University of Michigan.
  4. ^ deCourcy, Michael (2016). "4-star defensive end Luiji Vilain commits to Michigan". The Score. USA Today.
  5. ^ Zuke, Ryan (January 26, 2021). "Former Michigan DL Luiji Vilain transferring to ACC school". MLive.com.
  6. ^ Hole, Isaiah (January 26, 2021). "Michigan DE joins fellow transfer at ACC school". USA Today.
  7. ^ "2021 CFL Draft Archives". cfl.ca. Canadian Football League.
  8. ^ "Luiji Vilain". godeacs.com. Wake Forest University.
  9. ^ "2022 NFL Draft Scout Luiji Vilain College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Williams, Charean (May 1, 2022). "Wake Forest linebacker Luiji Vilain among Vikings' undrafted free agent signings". NBC Sports.
  11. ^ Tomasson, Chris (May 9, 2022). "Vikings might have gotten 'a big steal' in athletic, undrafted edge rusher Luiji Vilain". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  12. ^ Tomasson, Chris (August 30, 2022). "Luiji Vilain doesn't disagree about being a 'steal' after making Vikings as undrafted rookie". St. Paul Pioneer Press.
  13. ^ Peters, Craig (August 29, 2023). "Vikings Set Initial 53-Man Roster for 2023". Vikings.com. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Peters, Craig (August 30, 2023). "Vikings Sign 12 Players to 2023 Practice Squad". Vikings.com. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Panthers place three on IR, activate one, agree to terms with two". Panthers.com. October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  16. ^ Alper, Josh (November 8, 2023). "Panthers put Luiji Vilain on IR". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Gantt, Darin (August 27, 2024). "Panthers make moves to get to initial 53-man roster". Panthers.com.
  18. ^ "Browns place DT Maurice Hurst II and three others on injured reserve". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 11, 2024.
  19. ^ "Browns sign T Germain Ifedi to active roster, place G Wyatt Teller on injured reserve". ClevelandBrowns.com. September 25, 2024.
  20. ^ Williams, Charean (October 8, 2024). "Cowboys sign WR Seth Williams, DE Luiji Vilain to the practice squad". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
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