Eric Stokes

Honors & Awards

• Drafted by the Seattle Seahawks (1997 - 5th Round, Pick #172)
• Member of Two Nebraska National Championship Teams (1994, 1995)
• Honorable-Mention All-Big 12 (AP, Coaches, 1996)
• First-Team Academic All-Big 12 (1996)
• First Team Academic All-Big Eight (1995)
• Big Eight Conference Academic Honor Roll (1995)

Career

Eric Stokes finished his Husker career with 108 tackles (47 solo), two tackles for loss, 10 pass breakups, two interceptions and one quarterback hurry. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Stokes played two seasons (1997-1998) for the Seahawks, recording 10 tackles, before calling it a career.

1996 (Senior)

Stokes gave Nebraska veteran experience in the secondary during his senior season. He started every game and finished sixth on the team with 45 recorded tackles (22 solo), two of them resulting in lost yardage. Stokes' first tackle for loss came in the last game of the regular season against Colorado, and his second came in the Big 12 Championship game against Texas. Along with his 45 tackles he had five pass breakups, one interception against Texas, and one quarterback hurry. In the 1996 Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech, Stokes added four more tackles (two solo) to his resume, along with a 15-yard tackle for loss.

1995 (Junior)

Stokes moved back to cornerback last spring and started the first two games of 1995 at left corner, before moving back to free safety to back up senior Tony Veland, giving up his corner spot to Michael Booker. Playing in every game, Stokes had 18 tackles (seven solo) and two pass breakups (against Oklahoma State and Missouri). His best tackle day was a career-best six in the season opener against Oklahoma State. He also tied his previous career best with five against Iowa State. Against Florida in the Fiesta Bowl national championship game, Stokes had two tackles, one breakup and an interception, with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. He returned it 11 yards to the Nebraska 30. NU scored six plays later to increase its lead to 42-10.

1994 (Sophomore)

Stokes missed the entire spring camp again in 1994, but had successful graft surgery on his pelvic bone, which slowed his fall progress somewhat, but didn't keep him from action. After free safety Mike Minter was lost for the season in game two with a knee injury, Stokes' playing time increased as he moved from corner and he and junior Tony Veland filled the gap at free safety. Stokes finished as the team's 12th-leading tackler with 36 tackles (12 solo). He also had two pass breakups, one against UCLA and one against Pacific. He had a five-tackle outing against UCLA, while four times he recorded four tackles. In the 1995 Federal Express Orange Bowl, Stokes split time with Veland at free safety and had one unassisted tackle in the 24-17 win over Miami.

1993 (Freshman)

A redshirt freshman, Stokes played in every game except the Colorado State contest when he was sidelined with a knee injury. He had missed most of spring drills with a hamstring pull. Stokes completed his first season with nine tackles (six solo). He picked off a Mitch Maher pass in Nebraska's season opener against North Texas and returned it 34 yards to the Nebraska 49-yard line in the fourth quarter. Nebraska converted the turnover into a score. He had a season-high two tackles three times. His lone breakup of the season was against Texas Tech. He was injured and did not play in the Orange Bowl.

1992 (Freshman)

A scholarship recruit, he sat out the year as a redshirt.

Lincoln East High School

A two-time all-state team captain for Coach Lee Zentic at Lincoln East High School, Stokes was an all-state player in the secondary for two years and earned Lincoln Journal-Star Super-State honors as a senior in 1991. Also a standout running back for the Spartans, he holds school records for a single season (1,203) and a career (2,309). A preseason SuperPrep All-American, Stokes showed versatility as he played I-back, wingback, free safety, corner and strong safety. He played in the 1992 Nebraska Shrine Game and was one of two hometown recruits in the 1992 Husker recruiting class, along with linebacker Jon Hesse of Lincoln Southeast. He also played with Husker junior lineman Jon Zatechka. Stokes earned a total of seven letters at East (three in football, two each in basketball and track).

Personal

The son of Leroy and Ann Strokes, Eric was born Dec. 18, 1973, in Hebron, NE. He has one sister, Kim. Strokes was a volunteer speaker for the VIP Outreach Program, for the Ventures in Partnership Program, for the DARE Program, "Just Say No to Drugs," American Education Week and was a mentor for the VIP Shadowing Program. In 1995, Strokes served as a Husker Ambassador.

Stokes' Career Statistics