Diego Viamontes


Diego Jair Viamontes Cotera is a Mexican professional gridiron football wide receiver and kickoff returner for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League. He was the first overall pick by the Eskimos in the 2019 CFL–LFA Draft after playing with the Mayas CDMX of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional.

Early career

Viamontes began playing American football in 2001 at the age of 11. He went on to play in high school as well as ONEFA college football at the Universidad del Valle de México.

Professional career

Viamontes played for the Raptors Naucalpan during the inaugural 2016 season of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional ; the Raptors would go on to lose Tazón México I to the Mayas CDMX. He played for one more year before being traded to the Mayas CDMX ahead of the 2018 season. That year he recorded 26 receptions for 519 yards and seven touchdowns.
He also played for the Monterrey Steel of the National Arena League during the pre-season in 2017.

CFL

Viamontes was selected first overall by the Edmonton Eskimos in the 2019 CFL–LFA Draft in Mexico City in January. After playing another season with the Mayas CDMX in the spring, he appeared in both preseason games for the Eskimos in May, lining up on both offense and special teams. After beginning the 2019 season on the practice squad, Viamontes was called up to the main roster ahead of their week 18 matchup against the BC Lions. He made his CFL debut on October 12 against the Lions. On November 2, he became the first Global player to ever start a CFL game when he started at receiver during the Eskimos' regular-season finale against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He recorded 3 kickoff returns for 44 yards and a missed-field goal returned for 25 yards.

International career

Viamontes represented the national under-19 team at the 2009 IFAF Junior World Cup in Canton, Ohio.
While still in college, Viamontes played for the Mexican national team at the 2011 IFAF World Championship in Austria. Notably, he returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown in the defeat to Japan in the bronze medal game. He later won a bronze with Mexico at the 2015 edition.