Meet the new Vikings!

[buzzsaw]

Troy Williamson.

Daunte Culpepper on Williamson

Culpepper: "From what I've seen, he's a player. We're going to take his talents and work them into the team and help him make the most of his potential. I think he's going to fit in with the receivers we have and with the offense. The highlights I saw on him it looked like he caught the ball well and was able to break tackles after the first contact. I like that. It shows me he's a winner."

Troy Williamson

Wide Receiver

University of South Carolina Gamecocks

#82

6:01.3-203

Jackson, South Carolina

Silver Bluff High School

OVERVIEW

A gifted receiver who possesses outstanding speed, Troy developed into the Gamecocks' bigplay artist as a junior. A proven deep threat, he also proved capable of carrying the ball out of the backfield in addition to excelling on special teams as a kickoff returner and gunner on the coverage units.

Williamson was a Prep Star All-American selection and rated the fifth-best wide receiver prospect in the Atlantic Region by that scouting service as a senior at Silver Bluff High School. He was a Mr. Football finalist in the state of South Carolina and led the team to back-to-back state championships as the squad rolled up thirty straight victories. He caught 21 passes for 500 yards and rushed for 890 yards as a senior. Troy also excelled in track, twice winning the state titles in the 100 and 200-meter dashes.

Troy played in every game, starting five contests as a true freshman. He caught 17 passes for 491 yards (28.9 avg) and four touchdowns while adding 47 yards on three carries (15.7 avg) and 74 yards on three kickoff returns (24.7 avg). In 2003, Williamson started ten games at split end. He hauled in 31 passes for 428 yards (13.8 avg) and two touchdowns, including a school and Southeastern Conference record 99-yarder. He also handled the bulk of the team's kickoff return duties, gaining 268 yards on 14 attempts (19.1 avg).

As a junior, Williamson accounted for a career-high 835 yards on 43 receptions with seven touchdowns. He also had seven kickoff returns for 105 yards (15.0 avg) and 30 yards on four carries (7.5 avg). He closed out his career with 91 receptions for 1754 yards (19.3 avg) and thirteen touchdowns in 34 games. His 1754 yards rank seventh on the school's all-time record list. Troy also gained 101 yards on twelve carries (8.4 avg), 447 yards on 24 kickoff returns (18.6 avg) and recorded four solo tackles on special teams.

ERASMUS JAMES

Defensive End

University of Wisconsin Badgers

#90

6:04.1-266

Pembroke Pines, Florida

McArthur High School

OVERVIEW

Regarded as one of the premier pass rushers in college football, Erasmus is not a player that took your everyday path to college football notoriety. Born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts (his father is press secretary to the prime minister), James moved to The Bronx, New York, and grew up there as a child. He then moved to Florida as a high school freshman, where he was a standout basketball player as a prep, but was convinced to try football in his senior year.

The Badgers are lucky he did, as the UW coaches saw him at an all-star game in Florida and the rest, as they say, is history. Erasmus was a relatively inexperienced football player when he arrived on Wisconsin's campus as a freshman. He only played one season on the gridiron at McArthur (Fla.) High School, but earned third-team All-State honors after posting 53 tackles with 14 sacks and 23 stops for losses.

James appeared in every game as a reserve right defensive end in 2001, collecting 36 tackles (20 solos) with six sacks, seven stops for losses and three forced fumbles. He took over the right defensive end spot as a junior in 2002, registering 17 quarterback pressures, four sacks, seven stops for losses and 52 tackles (32 solos).

He returned to action in 2004, shifting to left end. James finished the season with 36 tackles (27 solos), a career-high eight sacks, 11.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and seven pressures. In 36 games as a Badger, Erasmus totaled 124 tackles (79 solos) with 18 sacks for minus 120 yards, 25.5 stops for losses of 145 yards, 28 quarterback pressures, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and six pass deflections

MARCUS JOHNSON

Offensive Guard/Tackle

University of Mississippi Rebels

#76

6:06.4-321

Coffeeville, Mississippi

Coffeeville High School

Quotes on the 2005 NFL Draft

OVERVIEW

An imposing physical specimen, Marcus is a player who knows how to use his size to his advantage. The team captain started 45 games at right guard and three other contests at right tackle during his four-year career with the Rebels. He received the J. Richard Price Courage and Compassion Award, which is presented annually to the rising senior lineman who, in the opinion of his coaches, has demonstrated extraordinary courage and unusual compassion in their dedication to the team and Ole Miss.

Marcus lettered three times in football at Coffeyville High, earning All-State, All-Division, All-District and All-Area honors as an offensive tackle and also saw action on the defensive side of the ball as an end, posting 60 tackles with four sacks as a senior. He followed his brother, Belton (1999-2002) to Mississippi and has started every game he's played in (46) at Ole Miss.

With Belton (now with Cincinnati) lining up at right tackle, Marcus started at right guard in 2001, earning Freshman All-American (fourth-team) honors from The Sporting News. He and his brother were key players on an offensive line that was second in the Southeastern Conference in the fewest sacks allowed (14) as Ole Miss generated over 350 yards of total offense in 8-of-13 games, including at least 450 yards in four contests in 2002.

In 2003, he again started every game at right tackle, paving the way for an offense that helped Ole Miss rank first in the SEC in scoring (34.0 ppg), passing (286.0 ypg), and total offense (433.2 ypg) and set school season offensive records for points scored (442), TD passes (31), passing yards (3,718), passing yards per game (286.0), first downs (295), offensive plays (940), total offense (5,631) and total offense per game (433.2). In 2004, he did not allow more than two tackles in any game, including shutting out his opponents completely in the Wyoming and South Carolina clashes.

DUSTIN FOX , Round 3 - 80th Overall

Has played in 47 games as a Buckeye and made 37 starts since his arrival at Ohio State ... has started 28-consecutive games at the boundary corner ... was named to a second-team spot on the All-Big Ten team last season, but is still a vastly underrated player ... is a true leader and one of the most consistent performers on the team ... gives the Buckeyes a rock-solid veteran in the defensive backfield ... has seven career interceptions and 217 tackles to his credit ... has ranked first and second the last two seasons, respectively, on the team in solo tackles ... came to Ohio State as a safety, but was moved to cornerback as a freshman ... 40-inch vertical jump ... named to the CoSIDA District IV All-Academic team each of the past two years ... is a three-time OSU Scholar-Athlete.

CIATRICK FASON, Round 4 - 112th Overall

A model of consistency, Ciatrick played in every game during his career (38), earning fifteen starts. He became the first Florida runner to lead the Southeastern Conference in rushing since 1993. Ciatrick is also only the seventh player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.

"C.J." MOSLEY ADRIAN WARD ADRIAN WARD , Round 6 - 191st Overall

Calvin Michael Mosley, Jr., is a player who is blessed with excellent size, speed and athleticism, all the tools you look for in a top-line player. He was a standout defensive lineman at Waynesville (Mo.) High School. He garnered All-State accolades in 2000 and was ranked among the top defensive line prospects in the country by Rivals.com. The three-time first-team All-District selection recorded 21 quarterback sacks and 267 tackles during his career. As a senior, he registered 97 tackles and 10 sacks. Mosley was also one of the top high school track athletes in the shot put, finishing third in the shot at the Missouri high school state meet in 2000.

ADRIAN WARD Round 7 - 219th Overall

Recorded 59 tackles (52 solo) and five interceptions in 2004.