EASTON, Pa. – Lafayette football alums DaRon Gilbert '23 and Steven Stilianos '22 are the latest former Leopards to continue their playing careers in the NFL. Gilbert is headed to the Detroit Lions while Stilianos is bound for the Tennessee Titans, both as undrafted free agents.  
 
Gilbert was a two-time All-Patriot League selection a safety, securing first-team honors as a senior in 2022 and second-team laurels in the 2021 fall season. The Detroit native played the 2023 season as a graduate transfer at Northern Illinois, racking up 51 tackles while starting all 13 games at linebacker. He helped guide Northern Illinois to a 7-6 mark and a Camellia Bowl win over Arkansas State.
 
Stilianos was twice named to the All-Patriot League First Team, garnering the honors at tight end in the 2021 spring and 2021 fall seasons after playing in 29 career games over four seasons. He was Lafayette-Lehigh game MVP of the 156^th meeting after catching a pair of touchdown passes. Stilianos went on to play two seasons at Iowa. He saw time in eight games in 2022 and 13 games with eight starts in 2023, when he helped push the Hawkeyes to a 10-4 record and appearances in the Big Ten Championship game and the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl.
 
Gilbert's and Stilianos' ascension to the NFL follows Malik Hamm '23 who signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens prior to the 2023 season and battled his way onto the team's 53-man roster. Hamm, a five-time All-Patriot League honoree and two-time conference defensive player of the year, is set to begin his second season with the team.