Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke was among 10 undrafted free agents signed by the Vikings as they prepare for this weekend's rookie minicamp.
Standout Old Dominion QB among Vikings undrafted free agent signings
By STAFF REPORTS
May 6, 2015 at 2:10AM
The other are Virginia safety Anthony Harris, Notre Dame receiver DaVaris Daniels, Brigham Young receiver Jordan Leslie, Tennessee cornerback Justin Coleman, Iowa State center Tom Farniok, Pittsburg State receiver Gavin Lutman, Boise State fullback Blake Renaud, Saginaw Valley State guard Jesse Somsel and Boston College guard Bobby Vardaro.
Heinicke told the Virginian-Pilot that he was with his family in Atlanta on Saturday, watching the draft, when the Vikings called in the seventh round to say they hoped to sign him as a priority free agent. Heinicke's contract is not guaranteed but would be worth $1.3 million over three seasons if he sticks with the team.
Heinicke, 6 feet, 1 inch and 214 pounds, passed for 14,959 yards, sixth most in Division I history, and 132 touchdowns. Teddy Bridgewater, Sean Hill and Mike Kafka are the other quarterbacks on the Vikings roster.
"I can say I'm an NFL quarterback," Heinicke told the Virginian-Pilot. "Now I have to go out and prove it."
Harris missed the Senior Bowl because of a shoulder injury but ran a 4.56 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. The 6-1, 185-pounder had 11 interceptions at Virginia.
Daniels, 6-2 and 203, sat out last season at Notre Dame because of academic issues. He made 49 catches for 745 yards and seven touchdowns in 2013. He is the son of former NFL defensive lineman Phillip Daniels.
Leslie, who started his college career at Texas-El Paso, had 55 catches for 779 yards for BYU last season. The 6-3 Leslie led UTEP in receptions in 2013, and earned his degree in electrical engineering there before playing for BYU as a graduate student.
Coleman, 5-10 and 183, started 38 games and had five interceptions during his career at Tennessee. Farniok, 6-3 and 301, started 47 games for Iowa State and was considered one of the nation's top centers.
Lutman, 6-4 and 210, caught 13 touchdowns passes for Pittsburg State, which lost to Minnesota State Mankato in the Division II playoffs, last season.
Renaud, 6-2 and 255, was the ninth-leading tackler for Boise State last season, but the Vikings project him as a fullback.
Somsel, 6-4 and 315, started three seasons for Saginaw Valley. Vardaro, 6-5 and 310, had 43 career starts for BC.
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STAFF REPORTS
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
