A.J. Love still hanging with Vikings; gets another chance tonight vs Chargers

The Minnesota Vikings game tonight against the San Diego Chargers could be crucial for A.J. Love and Mistral Raymond.

The two formers USF teammates and Manatee County products have different goals, but the importance of this game is equal for both.  

 The Vikings cut Love and then re-signed him two days later on August 6th after Greg Childs (fourth round pick) tore the pateller tendon in each of his knees.

An undrafted free agent, Love is a long shot to make the team, but he is been dealing with those type of odds ever since he took the field as an unheralded receiver at Southeast High and overcame two ACL tears and subsequent surgeries at USF.

The Vikings have 90 players on their roster. They must cut down to 75 on Monday. The regular season 53 man roster must be set by August 31^st.

Raymond’s story has been well-documented. The Palmetto High product had to overcome personal tragedies to become the Vikings sixth round draft pick last year.

Raymond is in a battle for the starting safety spot with Vikings first round 2012 draft pick Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame and three year veteran Jamarca Sanford (Mississippi), who started 15 games last season. Smith seems a lock to start.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier had been leaning towards starting Raymond next to Smith, but Sanford was working with Smith on Wednesday and the whole situation seems fluid.

“We are going to give Jamarca another shot just to see how he does,” Frazier said. “He’s had a great camp and he’s busted his tail to compete and fight for a job.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are gong

AJ Love catches passes from Cam Newton

A.J. Love has not played in a football game since 2009, but that doesn’t mean the USF receiver isn’t getting his name out to the right people.

Thanks to Jon Gruden’s ESPN “QB Camp” workouts that are being held on USF’s new practice fields and Love has had a chance to catch passes from some of the NFL’s top quarterback prospects.

Recently the Southeast High product caught passes from Auburn’s Cam Newton, who might be the first pick in Thursday night’s NFL draft. Love looked good and his former teammate at Southeast, , also going into his final season at USF, got into some of action.

The 6-2, 205 pound Love looks as if he has fully recovered from his ACL surgery that forced him to sit out last season. In fact, USF head coach Skip Holtz says it’s just a matter of the receiver getting his confidence back and he doesn’t expect that to be a problem.

Gruden put in a plug for Love and the others telling the media and that USF has a good looking bunch of receivers. The former Bucs head coach who spoke at Holtz’s coaching clinic last month, got to spend time with Southeast head coach Paul Maechtle.

Holtz has told Paul Maecthle that the coaching staff is counting on Love and expects big things from him in 2011. They love Love’s size, soft hands, athleticism and perhaps most of his leadership skills.