Former Cowboy Offensive Lineman Started 39 of 46 Career Games at Wyoming
Tim Harkins
Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations,
Public Relations and Broadcasting
University of Wyoming Athletics
The Miami Dolphins of the NFL have invited former Wyoming Cowboy offensive lineman Eric Abojei to mini-camp as a free agent. Abojei earned Third Team All-Mountain West Conference honors in 2022 from Phil Steele.
Abojei came to Wyoming from Robinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope, Minn., in the fall of 2017. He redshirted his first season as a Cowboy but for five seasons from 2018 to 2022, Abojei started 39 of 46 career games he played for the Pokes. His first four years playing, Abojei played offensive guard. In his senior season of 2023, he was shifted to left tackle where he started all 13 games.
During his college career, Wyoming won three bowl games, the 2017 and 2021 Famous Idaho Potato Bowls and the 2019 Arizona Bowl, appeared in the 2022 Arizona Bowl and earned bowl eligibility a fifth time in 2018.
In 2018, he appeared in 12 games and started five. He helped pave the way for First Team All-MW running back Nico Evans to rush for 1,325 yards and rank fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (132.5).
In 2019, Abojei started the first six games of the season before an ankle injury ended his season. He was part of a 2019 offensive line that was one of only 24 offensive line units nationally to be named to the Joe Moore Award Midseason Honor Roll. He also helped block for First Team All-MW running back Xazavian Valladay, who rushed for 1,061 yards. The Wyoming offense ranked No. 23 in the nation in rushing offense in 2019.
The COVID-shortened season of 2020 saw Abojei start all six games for Wyoming. He played a huge role in Wyoming ranking No. 14 in the nation in rushing offense in 2020. Abojei also helped First Team All-Conference running back Valladay lead the league in rushing, while averaging 110.0 yards per game.
The 2021 season saw Abojei start all nine games he played in. Once again Abojei and his offensive line mates enabled Wyoming to rank No. 20 in the nation in rushing offense and helped Valladay earn Second Team All-Conference honors.
Abojei started all 13 games at left tackle for the Cowboys in the 2022 season. Wyoming ranked No. 3 in the Mountain West in rushing offense and running back Titus Swen surpassed the 1,000-yard plateau, with 1,039 rushing yards.
