GAMES/STARTS (regular season, playoffs) 2010 (11/0), 2011 (16/0). Total- 27/0.
- The highest USC player drafted by the Vikings since DE Kenechi Udeze was taken #20 overall in 2004.
- Attended same high school, Agua Fria in Avondale, AZ, as Vikings Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel.
OFF THE FIELD Participated in a variety of community events during the 2011 season...Took part in Vikings blood drive challenge during his rookie season and joined fellow defensive lineman in community outreach events...Majored in sociology at USC...Enjoys being on the water in his free time, with boating, wave runners and water skiing among his favorite activities...Enjoys fishing...Looked up to Vikings legend Randall McDaniel as a young athlete.
PRO Ranked 4th on team in 2011 with 4.0 sacks despite not starting a game all season...Notched 18 special teams tackles in 2011 to rank #2 on team...Carved out role on special teams to get playing time as a rookie, seeing action in final 11 straight games of season...Burst onto scene with 5 tackles in his 1st career game, at Green Bay (11/21/10)...Selected with the 2nd pick in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the 100th player selected overall...Was the 3rd player of 8 selected by the Vikings in 2010 and the only defensive lineman of the group...Was the 4th of 7 players drafted from USC and the only Trojan defensive lineman...Declared for the draft after his junior season.
GAMES/STARTS (regular season, playoffs) 2010 (11/0), 2011 (16/0). Total- 27/0.
- The highest USC player drafted by the Vikings since DE Kenechi Udeze was taken #20 overall in 2004.
- Attended same high school, Agua Fria in Avondale, AZ, as Vikings Hall of Famer Randall McDaniel.
OFF THE FIELD Participated in a variety of community events during the 2011 season...Took part in Vikings blood drive challenge during his rookie season and joined fellow defensive lineman in community outreach events...Majored in sociology at USC...Enjoys being on the water in his free time, with boating, wave runners and water skiing among his favorite activities...Enjoys fishing...Looked up to Vikings legend Randall McDaniel as a young athlete.
PRO Ranked 4th on team in 2011 with 4.0 sacks despite not starting a game all season...Notched 18 special teams tackles in 2011 to rank #2 on team...Carved out role on special teams to get playing time as a rookie, seeing action in final 11 straight games of season...Burst onto scene with 5 tackles in his 1st career game, at Green Bay (11/21/10)...Selected with the 2nd pick in the 4th round of the 2010 NFL Draft, the 100th player selected overall...Was the 3rd player of 8 selected by the Vikings in 2010 and the only defensive lineman of the group...Was the 4th of 7 players drafted from USC and the only Trojan defensive lineman...Declared for the draft after his junior season.
2011 Played in all 16 games...Notched 4.0 sacks to rank 4th on team...Ranked 2nd on team with 18 special teams tackles, 4 behind team-leader Eric Frampton...Posted 1st career sack vs. Tampa Bay (9/18) when he caught Josh Freeman...Notched career-best 3 special teams tackles at Kansas City (10/2) and vs. Green Bay (10/23)...Versatile special teamer played as a gunner on punt coverage at times as well as serving as a regular on return units...Contributed to the Vikings 50.0 sacks on the season, tied for 1st in the NFL...Helped Vikings special teams unit set a team record with 26.9 kickoff return average for the season and tied for 1st in the NFL with 4 kickoff returns of 50+ yards.
2010 Played in final 11 games after being inactive for the opening 5 games of the season...Notched season-high 5 tackles on defense vs. Green Bay (11/21)...Had 5 QB hurries in a 5-game span with a season-high 2 vs. Buffalo (12/5)...Posted 8 special teams tackles, notching season-high 2 at Chicago (11/14) and at Detroit (1/2/11).
COLLEGE Helped USC win or tie for PAC 10 titles in 2007 and 2008...Trojans won Rose Bowl as a freshman and sophomore, topping Illinois as a freshman and Penn State as a sophomore...USC won Emerald Bowl over Boston College as a junior...Earned 2nd-Team All-Pac 10 honors as a junior...Part of a Trojan defense in 2008 that posted back-to-back shutouts against Arizona State (28-0) and Washington State (69-0), the 1st time with consecutive shutouts since 1971 for USC...Burst onto the scene as a true freshman with the Trojans, starting 2 games and playing in all 13...Started 2007 opener vs. Idaho as a true freshman, becoming the 1st USC true freshman to start an opener since Tim Ryan in 1986...Notched career-high 3.5 sacks vs. Oregon State as a true freshman...Had season-best 3.0 sacks at Notre Dame as a junior in 2009...Posted 8.0 sacks as a junior and had a streak of 6 straight games with a sack, highlighted by 3.0 against Notre Dame and 2.0 vs. Oregon State in back-to-back games.
PREP Attended Agua Fria High in Avondale, AZ...Named Super Prep and Scout.com Player of the Year in Arizona...Consensus All-America...Gatorade Circle of Champions Player of the Year for Arizona...Had 16.0 sacks on defense and ran for 1,251 yards and 20 TDs on offense as a senior...Earned 1st-Team All-Region in basketball...Competed in track and field as a shot putter...Played AAU hoops throughout high school.
