46games/38 starts as a Viking
Ranked second on the Vikings with 100 tackles in the 2008 season, first among DBs on the team in 2007 and 2008…Leads Vikings DBs with 181 tackles since 2007… Was part of a 2008 Vikings defensive backfield that held the League’s top 4 receivers in yardage to a combined 16 catches for 208 yards and only 1 TD…Joined S Darren Sharper as the only DBs to start all 16 games in 2007 for the Vikings...Scored 1 of 8 defensive TDs for the Vikings in 2007...Started 7 games as a rookie at CB, the most out of the Vikings 2006 draft class…Is 1 of the 6 draftees in 2006 for the Vikings, who have all gone on to start a game for the team…Became only the 4th Vikings CB to be tabbed as NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance at Detroit (12/10/06), joining Rufus Bess (1985), Carl Lee (1988) and Brian Williams (2003)…Was the 6th CB drafted in 2006 and had the 2nd-most interceptions in the group with 2 behind only St. Louis Ram Tye Hill, the 1st CB selected (#15 overall) with 3…Drafted in the 2nd round of the 2006 NFL Draft (48th overall pick)…Highest CB drafted by the Vikings since Dewayne Washington was selected in the 1st round in 1994 (19th overall).
2008 Led Vikings DBs in tackles for the second consecutive year with 100 stops, 19 over his previous career-high…Started all but one game at the RCB position…Added 1 INT, 4 FF (1 on ST), and 3 TFL to his 100 tackles…Snared the Vikings only INT in the Wild Card Playoff vs. Philadelphia (1/4/09) and added 4 tackles…Recorded 8 or more tackles 6-times on the year with a season and career-high 10 at Tampa Bay (11/16)… All 3 FF were on the road and with 4 total FFs he ranks T-4th among NFL DBs…Grabbed his lone regular season INT of Kurt Warner at Arizona (12/14) and had a career-best 4 passes defensed…Part of a defensive backfield that held the NFL’s top 4 receivers in yardage to a combined average of 4 catches for 52 yards a game.
2007 Led the Vikings DBs with 81 tackles...Started all 16 games, joining Darren Sharper as the only Vikings DBs to start all 16 games...Scored 1st career TD when he took a lateral of a fumble recovery by LB Ben Leber and returned it a total of 50 yards for the score, returning the ball 22 yards, fumbling and then recovering his own fumble and continuing the final 28 yards for the score...Recovered a Donald Lee fumble vs. Green Bay (9/30)...Notched careerhigh 9 tackles vs. Atlanta (9/9)...Had career-best 3 passes defensed vs. San Diego (11/4) and at San Francisco (12/9)...Forced fumbles at Detroit (9/16) and at San Francisco (12/9).2006 Led the Vikings rookie class with 7 starts…Earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors for performance at Detroit (12/10) when he had an interception, forced a fumble on the opening kickoff and had a fumble recovery…Was the only Viking to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors for the season and was the 1st DB to earn the award since Brian Williams in 2003…Finished season on injured reserve with neck injury, missing the final regular-season game vs. St. Louis (12/31)…Started 1st career game at RCB vs. Chicago (9/24)…Recorded 1st career interception when he picked off SenecaWallace at Seattle (10/22) and notched his 2nd when he grabbed a Jon Kitna pass at Detroit (12/10).
Started 38 consecutive games at CB over his final 3 seasons…Played in 51 career games, including 44 starts, during his college career…Compiled 275 tackles, 3 INTs, 32 passes defensed, 5 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries…Key member of a Longhorns’ pass defense that ranked inside the top 10 in the nation 3 times during his 4 seasons…Named 1st-team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches and the Associated Press as a senior…Helped the Longhorns to a 41-38 victory over USC for the National Championship in final college game…Played in the Rose Bowl twice vs. USC and Michigan and the Holiday Bowl vs. Washington State…Tabbed honorable mention All-Big 12 by the conference coaches in 2004…Shared the Longhorns Most Improved DefensivePlayer award as a redshirt freshman in 2002…Returned a blocked FG 56 yards for TD at Tulane, the 1st blocked FG returned for a TD in school history…Had career-high 15 ackles against Oklahoma in 2002…Redshirted in 2001.2005 Started all 13 games at right cornerback, earning 1st-team All-Big 12 honors by the league’s coaches and The Associated Press…Played a key role in the Longhorns’ finish as national champions, finishing with 86 tackles, 15 passes defensed (team high) and two forced fumbles…Also returned a blocked punt for a TD against Texas A&M…Played a key role in a pass defense that ranked 8th in the nation (172.0 ypg) and 4th in pass efficiency (96.7 rating)…Had 6 tackles and one pass defensed against No. 4 Ohio State…Recorded 2 tackles and 3 passes defensed at Missouri…Set a season high with 14 tackles against Oklahoma…Set a career high with 4 passes defensed against Colorado…Also notched 7 tackles and forced a fumble in that game…Tallied 9 tackles and 2 passes defensed against No. 10 Texas Tech…Recovered a fumble and notched 11 tackles at Oklahoma State…Scored on an 11-yard blocked punt return and added 8 tackles and a pass defensed at Texas A&M…Recorded 7 tackles and one forced fumble against Colorado in the Big 12 Championship…Tallied 8 tackles, including 6 solo tackles, in Texas’ 41-38 victory over USC for the National Championship.2004 Started all 12 games at right cornerback…Named honorable mention All-Big 12 by the league coaches…Tallied 68 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 2 INTs, 6 passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery…Also played on special teams and finished with 6 tackles…Was part of a defense that allowed just 320.1 yards per game (23rd in NCAA) and 17.9 points per game (18th in NCAA)…Had 6 tackles, an INT and a fumble recovery at Arkansas…The interception came late in the 4th quarter and helped Texas preserve a 22-20 lead…Made 6 tackles against both Rice and Baylor…Finished with 8 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one pass defensed and a forced fumble vs. No. 2 Oklahoma…Notched 5 tackles and a 4th quarter INT on the Longhorns’ 3-yard line that he returned 29 yards at Colorado…Recorded 8 tackles, a tackle for a loss and a pass defensed at Kansas…Finished the Rose Bowl matchup against No. 13 Michigan with 3 tackles and a pass defensed. 2003 Started all 13 games at cornerback and on special teams as a sophomore…Tallied 48 tackles with 7 passes defensed and an INT…Played a vital role in a pass defense that ranked 9th in the nation (177.3 ypg)…Had his 1st career INT versus Kansas State…Had back-to-back 5-tackle games at Baylor and vs. Nebraska…Blocked the 1st punt of his career in the 4th quarter at Texas A&M to go along with 4 tackles…Recorded 2 tackles and a pass defensed vs. Washington State in the Holiday Bowl. 2002 Played in all 13 games and started 6 (3 at SS and 3 at nickelback) as a redshirt freshman…Shared Texas’ Most Improved Defensive Player Award…Finished 4th on the team with 73 tackles…Also had 3 tackles for a loss, one sack, 4 passes defensed, 2 forced fumbles and 4 QB hurries…Returned a blocked field goal 56 yards for a TD at Tulane, which was the 1st blocked FG returned for a score in school history…Was a member of a Longhorns’ defense that led the Big 12 and finished 8th in the NCAA in pass defense (165.2 ypg)…Texas also finished 2nd in the conference and 7th
Majored in youth and community studies at UT...College teammates with Vikings LS Cullen Loeffler, DE Brian Robison, WR Nate Jons and fellow DB Marcus Griffin...Visited Minneapolis Salvation Army as a rookie with fellow DBs to donate game tickets…Lived in Louisiana, California and Texas as a child…Makes off-season home in Minnesota.