2007 Buck Buchanan Nominee
2007 Preseason All-American (CSN)
2006 3rd Team All-American (AP)
2006 First Team All-American (The Sports Network & Football Gazette)
2006 co-PFL Defensive Player of the Year
Two-time USD Defensive Player of the Year
NOTABLE: Eric enters his fourth and final year with the Toreros... Last year he earned 3rd Team Associated Press All-America honors for all I-AA players... 1st Team Mid-Major All-American (The Sports Network)... Named 2006 co-Pioneer Football League Defender of the Year... First Team All-Pioneer Football League... Key performer of USD defensive squad that ranked #2 in scoring defense (12.9 ppg), 10th in rushing defense (107.3 yards per game) and 12th in total defense (269.08)... Is a 2007 College Sporting News (CSN) Preseason All-American for 3rd Team Defense.
2006 at USD: Eric Bakhtiari started all 12 games at defensive end for the 11-1Toreros who were crowned the I-AA Mid-Major National Champions by The Sports Network... Bakhtiari finished second on the team with 63 tackles (39 solo) and ranked 6th in the nation in tackles for loss... In the Gridiron Classic game between USD and NEC champion Monmouth, Bakhtiari finished with 9 tackles (6 solo), 4.5 tackles for loss (-22 yards) and 3 QB sacks (-17 yards)... The 9 tackles matched his season-best set earlier in the season in a road win at Jacksonville... In the team[apos]s pivotal PFL road win over Drake, Bakhtiari was credited with 3 tackles for loss (-28 yards) and 2 QB sacks... He totaled a personal-best 5 tackles for loss in the team[apos]s home win over Morehead State.
2005 at USD: Played in all 12 games and played a key role with the success of the defensive unit at the end position... named First Team All-America (Sports Network and Don Hansen)... First Team All-PFL... team Defensive MVP... totaled 62 tackles with 30 solo stops with 15 tackles for loss (-51 yards) and 4 sacks (-30 yards)... season-best 11 tackles in PFL championship win over Morehead State.
2004 at USD: Playedin 2004 played in 11 games and ranked 9th on the team with 35 tackles (26 solo) to go with 3 quarterback sacks (-17 yards), 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception and 2 pass breakups... season-best 7 tackles (6 solo) with 1 interception in key PFL win over Dayton.
2003 at USD: Sat out as a red-shirt.
High School: Collected 76 tackles and 14.5 sacks is Senior season for the 12-1 Burlingame Panthers while earning 1st Team All League, County, and Co-Defensive MVP... Also lettered in track.
Personal: Born on December 2, 1984 in San Mateo, CA... Also recruited by the College of San Mateo... Chose USD to get a great education and play football in beautiful San Diego... Eric is very close to his parents Debbie and Karl and siblings Andrew, Danielle and David... Also likes to waterski and wakeboard in his free time.
Major: Business Administration.
