Thread: Maroney, three others visit Vikings

Posted on Mon, Apr. 10

[size=18px]Maroney, three others visit Vikings[/size]

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS - University of Minnesota running back Laurence Maroney highlighted a list of four prospects to visit the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.

Maroney shrugged off an ankle injury to rush for 1,355 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior last season, becoming the third player in Big Ten history to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. Wisconsin's Ron Dayne and Michigan State's Sedrick Irvin were the others.

Maroney rushed for 3,824 yards in three years with the Gophers, and would have had a great chance at breaking Darrell Thompson's career record of 4,654 yards record had he stayed for his senior year. Maroney also ranks second in 100-yard rushing games with 20 and second in all-purpose yardage with 4,676.

The Vikings signed Baltimore backup Chester Taylor in the offseason to be their No. 1 running back and veteran Mewelde Moore also is in the mix. If the speedy Maroney is available when the Vikings pick at No. 17, he could certainly add some juice to the backfield.

The Vikings also brought in Stanford linebacker Jon Alston, Wisconsin tight end Owen Daniels and Georgia cornerback DeMario Minter.

Coach Brad Childress said the team will bring in about 30 prospects starting this week in preparation for the draft on April 29-30, in which the Vikings have three of the top 51 picks.

"All of (the visitors) fit into different categories," Childress said Sunday following a three-day minicamp, "whether it's a medical question, a personality question or a guy that we're legitimately interested in."

Childress said that linebacker is a priority, where incumbents E.J. Henderson, Dontarrious Thomas, Ben Leber and Napoleon Harris appear to battling for three starting spots.

But after an extremely busy offseason that saw them sign 10 free agents, including Leber from the Chargers, Childress said they don't necessarily have to target a specific position in the draft.

"I just think it's important, there are going to be a lot of good football players there in the first three rounds and really on down through the draft," Childress said. "It's nice not to have to go for a need per se."

As for Minter and Daniels, the Vikings could use another defensive back after Brian Williams left in free agency. Tight end appears to be a little more crowded, with Jim Kleinsasser and Jermaine Wiggins entrenched in the top two spots.
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Jon Krawczynski can be reached at [email protected].

Maroney, three others visit Vikings

yes, i love maroney i wouldnt mind getting him

he looked good in college.

I'd like to have him, but I think it would be stupid to draft a running back, just my opinion. I'd rather get one of the stud linebackers in the draft, but they never seem to pan out for us so who knows what we should go after.

Although Maroney would be a nice addition, I think that we would be better served by drafting a LB or an Olineman in the first round. Followed by some good value in the second round by best available players.

sorry marooney but we need a lb

maroney would be better then a LB I would like to see him in some purple but I want a QB in the first round

I am not sure I like the idea of Maroney, since we just signed Taylor. I hate to see that much money tied up into one position. We signed Taylor to be our #1 back....lets let him do it

yeah, if he wasn't going to take such a high pick, id say go with maroney, but we have depth at RB, so i say go with an LB

i think Maroney will be the best RB from this draft class ten years from now... yes, even better than Bush.... Maroney just looks like he has everything it takes to succeed at the next level