Eslinger hopes for shot at NFL
Greg Eslinger has the NCAA hardware, but he said he feels like he did coming out of high school in Bismarck, N.D., in 2002.
A North Dakota player of the year, Eslinger was lightly recruited, but he started all 50 games at the University of Minnesota, capping his career with two prestigious awards. He won the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top interior lineman, and the Dave Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's best center.
But those accolades didn't earn him a trip to the Senior Bowl, one of college football's postseason all-star games.
"I think that was the best thing that could happen to me, because I had a chip on my shoulder and I wanted to prove to myself that I could play Division I college football," Eslinger said of not being recruited much in high school. "This is the same situation. Some teams may have me more under the radar, so I think that's going to help motivate me in the offseason."
Eslinger, in Indianapolis to perform for pro scouts in the NFL combine, said he wasn't surprised and didn't hold any grudges for not being invited to the showcase game for collegiate seniors.
"I definitely wanted to play in the Senior Bowl. Obviously, I want to play with the best and compete with the best," he said. "But I just didn't pull the right cards, I guess, and what's done is done. I'm looking forward right now."
Eslinger has been projected as a mid- to late-round pick. He doesn't care where he's selected as long as he gets a chance to play for an NFL team.
"I just want to play football,'' he said. "That's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid."
Up to this point, Eslinger couldn't have dreamed for any more.
"Coming to the University of Minnesota, I had hoped to maybe start by my fourth, maybe my fifth year. I never expected to walk in there and start as a true freshman. So it's been a wild ride," he said. "I don't think it's truly all set in yet."
Given his experience and quickness, Eslinger said NFL teams that run zone-blocking schemes might be more inclined to draft him.
"I came from a zone offense, so I definitely think they may look me over more than the next guy, just because of our offense," he said.
Eslinger is gearing up for the many intense interviews club officials and coaches will subject him to. The strangest question so far:
"If your house was on fire, and your family is OK, what is the next thing you'd take? I just said photos."
Williams tagged: The Vikings did not place a franchise tag on cornerback Brian Williams. But Williams' agent, Jordan Feagan, was not pleased that the Vikings placed a transition tender on his client.
"I'm not bad-mouthing the Vikings. But flat out, he does not want to go back to the Vikings," Feagan said. "He's ready to move on. He would rather they had not placed the transition tag on him. But I don't think that, at the end of the day, that will be a problem, because he'll receive an offer elsewhere that (the Vikings) won't match."
Feagan said the Vikings haven't approached him about a long-term contract.
In the unlikely event Williams doesn't get any offers, the Vikings would pay him $4.774 million, the average of the top 10 cornerbacks' salaries, next season.
Williams is expected to command a signing bonus in excess of $10 million and an annual average salary of at least $5 million.
Getting acclimated: Former Vikings offensive coordinator Steve Loney said he is adjusting well to the Arizona Cardinals, where he is the offensive line coach.
"It's been an easy move because my wife already has friends down there, and my son is down there," Loney said. "You don't have to get a map to find your way around. So a lot of things have been good."
Briefly: UCLA running back Maurice Drew credited new Vikings running backs coach Eric Bienemy for being a positive influence on his development.
Sean Jensen can be reached at sjensen@pioneerpress.com.
A North Dakota player of the year, Eslinger was lightly recruited, but he started all 50 games at the University of Minnesota, capping his career with two prestigious awards. He won the Outland Trophy, given to the nation's top interior lineman, and the Dave Rimington Trophy, given to the nation's best center.
But those accolades didn't earn him a trip to the Senior Bowl, one of college football's postseason all-star games.
"I think that was the best thing that could happen to me, because I had a chip on my shoulder and I wanted to prove to myself that I could play Division I college football," Eslinger said of not being recruited much in high school. "This is the same situation. Some teams may have me more under the radar, so I think that's going to help motivate me in the offseason."
Eslinger, in Indianapolis to perform for pro scouts in the NFL combine, said he wasn't surprised and didn't hold any grudges for not being invited to the showcase game for collegiate seniors.
"I definitely wanted to play in the Senior Bowl. Obviously, I want to play with the best and compete with the best," he said. "But I just didn't pull the right cards, I guess, and what's done is done. I'm looking forward right now."
Eslinger has been projected as a mid- to late-round pick. He doesn't care where he's selected as long as he gets a chance to play for an NFL team.
"I just want to play football,'' he said. "That's been a dream of mine since I was a little kid."
Up to this point, Eslinger couldn't have dreamed for any more.
"Coming to the University of Minnesota, I had hoped to maybe start by my fourth, maybe my fifth year. I never expected to walk in there and start as a true freshman. So it's been a wild ride," he said. "I don't think it's truly all set in yet."
Given his experience and quickness, Eslinger said NFL teams that run zone-blocking schemes might be more inclined to draft him.
"I came from a zone offense, so I definitely think they may look me over more than the next guy, just because of our offense," he said.
Eslinger is gearing up for the many intense interviews club officials and coaches will subject him to. The strangest question so far:
"If your house was on fire, and your family is OK, what is the next thing you'd take? I just said photos."
Williams tagged: The Vikings did not place a franchise tag on cornerback Brian Williams. But Williams' agent, Jordan Feagan, was not pleased that the Vikings placed a transition tender on his client.
"I'm not bad-mouthing the Vikings. But flat out, he does not want to go back to the Vikings," Feagan said. "He's ready to move on. He would rather they had not placed the transition tag on him. But I don't think that, at the end of the day, that will be a problem, because he'll receive an offer elsewhere that (the Vikings) won't match."
Feagan said the Vikings haven't approached him about a long-term contract.
In the unlikely event Williams doesn't get any offers, the Vikings would pay him $4.774 million, the average of the top 10 cornerbacks' salaries, next season.
Williams is expected to command a signing bonus in excess of $10 million and an annual average salary of at least $5 million.
Getting acclimated: Former Vikings offensive coordinator Steve Loney said he is adjusting well to the Arizona Cardinals, where he is the offensive line coach.
"It's been an easy move because my wife already has friends down there, and my son is down there," Loney said. "You don't have to get a map to find your way around. So a lot of things have been good."
Briefly: UCLA running back Maurice Drew credited new Vikings running backs coach Eric Bienemy for being a positive influence on his development.
Sean Jensen can be reached at sjensen@pioneerpress.com.
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