Vikings Hoping For Interior Help From Gossett, Conklin
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings have now had a look at their rookie class.
The NFL Draft may be determined by how you did in the mid-to-late rounds -- and there are two rookies that they need to help them up front.
Colby Gossett hails from Appalachian State. He is a tackle who is big and strong -- indicated by his impressive bench press.
"The highest bench press I've ever gotten is like 480 [pounds], so, that's like my strong point [laughs]!" Gossett said.
Ask Coach Mike Zimmer and he will tell you offensive linemen are difficult to project. Ask Gossett and he will tell you he is here to be physical -- just like in college.
"That's something that they really preached down there in App State was just very physical play, so a lot of the guys that I played with down in college, I mean, that's the way that we play and that's the way we were taught," Gossett said.
Tyler Conklin could line up next to him one day. He is a tight end out of Central Michigan that has a basketball background.
"[Having basketball experience means] moving around, that means having be in-line, be in the slot, being out wide. That's what I did in college … I moved all over the field," Conklin said.
He has an advantage: he gets to learn from Kyle Rudolph. In fact, he already has.
"I've been watching him since I was younger, [I] watched him at Notre Dame," Conklin said. "And just to be able to come in here and learn from a tight end that's as established as he is, a two-time Pro Bowler … I'm extremely excited just to, you know, just pick his brain and just watch him and … see the things he does and try to adapt them to my game."
So Conklin has potential because he has athletic talent. Let the conversion process begin.
"Being 100-percent solid on the playbook and know what I'm doing so I'm not thinking, and just stand in the way so I'm strong enough to block," he said.
