USC football: Rhett Ellison happy to join Vikings
USC’s Rhett Ellison is looking forward to starting his pro football career after being selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the NFL draft.
Ellison, who played tight end and fullback at USC, was apparently not expecting to be selected. He told reporters who cover the Vikings that he was “pretty shocked” when team representatives called him on Saturday, the final day of the seven-round draft.
“They asked me if I was watching TV,” Ellison said, “and I was out on the river at that point trying to relax. I said, ‘No I’m not watching it.’
“They said, ‘Well you’re about to be a Minnesota Viking.’ I was crying pretty hard so I don’t know if they understood anything that I was saying.”
Ellison, the son of former USC and NFL linebacker Riki Ellison, was one of three USC players chosen in the draft.
Offensive tackle Matt Kalil was selected in the first round by the Vikings and defensive end Nick Perry was selected in the first round by the Green Bay Packers.
It was the fewest Trojans chosen in the draft since 2002, when defensive backs Kris Richard and Chris Cash were the only USC players selected.
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