With his news sending his mother screaming for joy, former Saluki linebacker Jayson DiManche announced his signing with the Cincinnati Bengals.

DiManche joined two other former Salukis to sign contracts with professional teams last week.

Former defensive end Ken Boatright signed with the Seattle Seahawks and fellow end Eze Obiora chose the Canadian Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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DiManche said it was great to see his teammates take their first step toward the National Football League.

“It’s just a testament to the type of defense we had this past season,” he said. “We had a really active defense with a lot of good players on it, and to have (three) guys from our level get an opportunity is just a beautiful thing.”

DiManche joins a line-backing core that is projected to start former undrafted players Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State standout, and James Harrison, a Kent State veteran. DiManche said seeing them succeed gives him hope for his own NFL future.

“The coaching staff has been there for a couple of years, and they do a really good job of finding talent where most people won’t even really look at it,” DiManche said. “A guy like Vontaze (Burfict) and James Harrison and a couple other guys who went undrafted really shows that they can give me a good opportunity to show what I can do.”

All three former Salukis will have to fight for roster spots, especially Boatright.

The Seahawks’ defensive line is nearly filled to capacity after adding former Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ends Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett in the offseason with Chris Clemons, Bruce Irvin and Red Bryant already on the roster, where they will fight for playing time. The five of them received significant playing time and combined for 37.5 sacks last season with their respective teams.

Boatright said competition is a part of him and he wants to prove himself any chance he has in any position.

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“I’m pretty sure I am not going to make a living off of special teams, so I am going to do whatever it takes to make it,” he said. “I’ll be trying to get some time at their (defensive end) position and maybe a little bit of time at the (linebacker position), so I may be playing a little bit of everywhere.”

Obiora cited tough competition and lack of football experience as reasons some teams shied away from him. He began playing football almost five years ago after he played rugby in the United Kingdom.

Obiora has since been a Purdue walk-on, a star pass-rusher for the College of DuPage and is coming off of a Saluki season where he recorded 10 sacks, 50 tackles and two forced fumbles.

Still considered raw by the NFL, Obiora said the Tiger-Cats offered him a rare opportunity to find significant playing time early in his career.

“It is predicated on the speed rush off the edge and being able to run around the entire field, and that’s what made them interested in me,” he said. “This is my first real chance, and I feel my drive and my hunger and my experiences in three different defensive systems is really going to help make a difference immediately.”

Obiora said he hopes his time with the CFL will eventually lead him to the NFL, but for now he wants to focus on the task at hand. The Miami Dolphins’ Cameron Wake, former Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije and former Houston Oilers quarterback Warren Moon also made the transition from the NFL to the CFL.

DiManche, Boatright and Obiora all thanked their teammates and coaching staff for helping them reach their successes, but they specifically thanked strength and conditioning coach Clete McLeod for preparing them for offseason workouts.

McLeod said he worked with the former Salukis with professional hopes in the offseason, exercising their strength and conditioning almost everyday. He said it is a different process than working out in the regular season. In this case, he said, the players need to train to beat the NFL’s tests for potential players.

He said the three were challenged during both the regular and offseason, and he is happy to see them where they are. He said he also acknowledges this is just the first step.

“They are very dedicated to what they do,” McLeod said. “They worked their tails off, on and off the field. They are special people and they deserve everything they get, but they know this is a cutthroat game. They’ll have to keep doing the same things that got them to this point in their careers.”