Faciane, Hickman find homes in the NFL

As of May 20, there were two rookies in the NFL who played in the blue and gold of FIU for the 2013 campaign.

Defensive tackles Isame Faciane and Greg Hickman were picked up as undrafted rookie free agents. Both players were signed not only into the same conference of the NFL – the National Football Conference – but also into the same division of that conference – the NFC North.

Faciane was signed by the Minnesota Vikings, where he will wear No. 73. He wore No. 99 during his time as a Panther. The Louisiana native is listed at 6-foot-4 and weighing 302 pounds.

Former Panthers defensive line coach Andre Patterson is now in the same position with the Vikings, being brought in by new Head Coach Mike Zimmer.

Faciane was one of a 15 member undrafted rookie free agent class to workout at the rookie minicamp with the Vikings. He was there with former University of Louisville, and 2014 first-round draft pick, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who led the Cardinals to a 72-0 beating of the Panthers in Faciane’s senior season.

Faciane had 53 total tackles in his final season as a Panther which included 32 solo tackles. He also had 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and two blocked kicks, including the game saving blocked kick to preserve the only win for the Panthers against the University of Southern Mississippi.

Hickman will be in Detroit as a member of the Detroit Lions where he will wear No. 60. During his senior season as a Panther he wore No.8.

The Lions cleared roster space to sign Hickman by releasing veteran defensive tackle Corvey Irvin. Hickman, who is listed at 6-foot-0 and 278 pounds by the Lions is the third defensive lineman to be in the NFL from FIU in the last two seasons.

The Tampa native led the Panthers with four sacks in his senior season. Along with those sacks he posted numbers such as a 5.01 40-yard dash time and a 31-inch vertical jump at the 2014 FIU Pro Day.

Both players, if they make it on to their team’s respective rosters for the regular season will play each other twice a season.

They join names like TY Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts, Johnathan Cyprien of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tourek Williams of the San Diego Chargers in the NFL today. Also, not to forget that the only former Panthers player with a Super Bowl ring is undrafted offensive lineman Caylin Hauptmann of the Seattle Seahawks.

Also, as of May 20, cornerback Sam Miller, who had a tryout with the Washington Redskins, had not signed with a team.

 

Updates will be made as more information is available.

 

-rhys.williams@fiusm.com

About the Author

Rhys Williams
: Sports Director, Class of 2016, Physical Education: Coaching (Major), Communication Arts (Minor), Sports Enthusiast with a Focus on Football and Track & Field.

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