Everson Griffen

Everson Griffen

Griffen with the Vikings in 2012.
No. 97  Minnesota Vikings
Position: Defensive end
Personal information
Date of birth: December 22, 1987
Place of birth: Avondale, Arizona
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 273 lb (124 kg)
Career information
High school: Avondale (AZ) Agua Fria
College: Southern California
NFL draft: 2010 / Round: 4 / Pick: 100
Career history
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
  • NFC Defensive Player of the Month (Oct. 2014)
  • All-Pac-10 Second-Team (2009)
  • All-Pac-10 First-Team selection by Phil Steele (2009)
  • All-Pac-10 honorable mention (2008)
  • Super Prep High School All-American (2004)
  • Sporting News freshman All-American team (2007)
  • USA Today HS All-American first team (2006)
  • PARADE HS All-American (2006)
  • EA Sports HS All-American first team (2006)
  • Tom Lemming All-American (2006)
Career NFL statistics as of 2014
Tackles: 140
Sacks: 29.5
Forced fumbles: 4
INTs: 1
Stats at NFL.com

Everson Griffen (born December 22, 1987) is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was selected in the 4th round and 100 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft after playing his college football at the University of Southern California. Griffen was the highest ranked prospect out of Arizona since Terrell Suggs, whom he idolized growing up.[1] He has been described as “one of the rare physical freaks that come around only once in a blue moon.”[2]

High school career

Griffen attended Agua Fria High School in Avondale, Arizona, where he played as defensive lineman and running back. As a junior, he rushed for 794 yards on 142 carries for eight touchdowns, and even had 12 receptions for 168 yards and one amazing 71-yard reception where he out raced everybody for a score.[1] On defense, he was double and triple-teamed but still managed 47 tackles, five sacks and three fumble recoveries.

As a senior, Griffen recorded 77 tackles and 16 sacks, while rushing for 1,250 yards and 22 TDs on 159 carries on the offensive end. Following his high school career, Griffen was selected to play in the 2007 U.S. Army All-American Bowl along with fellow USC recruits Marc Tyler, Joe McKnight, and Chris Galippo. He took official visits to USC, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon and UCLA before eventually deciding on the Trojans. Griffen reported a 3.3 core GPA and a 1020 SAT score.

Also an standout track & field athlete, Griffen was one of the state's top performers in the throwing events. At the 2007 4A I State Meet, he won both the shot put and discus throw events.[3] He got top-throws of 17.70 meters in the shot put and 55.11 meters in the discus.[4] Following his junior season, he attended the 2005 Arizona summer camp, where he ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash;[1] an astonishing feat for a player of his size, which earned him the nickname "The Freak"[5] and led to comparisons to Jevon Kearse.

College career

Griffen after a 2008 preseason fall practice

In the fall practice before his freshman season at USC, Griffen and veteran defensive end Kyle Moore got into heated competition that culminated into a fight during practice; the two reconciled and are now friends.[6]

Griffen started for the Trojans as a true freshman, the first true freshman defensive lineman to start an opener for USC in 21 seasons, since Tim Ryan did in 1986 against Illinois.[7] In the 2007 season, Griffen recorded 21 tackles and 5.5 sacks, and was selected to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-American Team.[8] In the Trojans 24-3 victory over Oregon State, Griffen had 3.5 of USC's nine sacks.

During spring practices in 2008, USC coach Pete Carroll staged one of his well known pranks by having the Los Angeles Police Department enter a team meeting and arrest Griffen for “physically abusing a freshman” (Trojans offensive guard Matt Meyer);[9] Griffen was previously aware of the prank.[6]

On July 4, 2009, at Fourth of July party on Nantucket island, Griffen and teammate, linebacker Jordan Campbell, were cited by the Nantucket Police Department for a noise violation; no charges were filed and the two agreed to write a letter of apology.[10]

In 2009, Griffen was second team All Pac-10.

Professional career

2010 NFL Draft

After USC's 24–13 victory over Boston College in the 2009 Emerald Bowl, Griffen announced he would forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2010 NFL Draft.[11]

Pre-draft measurables
Ht WtArm lengthHand size 40-yd dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20-ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP
6 ft 3 3⁄8 in 273 lb32 5⁄8 in10 in 4.60 s 1.63 s 2.66 s 4.36 s 7.25 s 34 in 9 ft 7 in 32 reps
All values from NFL Combine[12]

Minnesota Vikings

Griffen was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the 100th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

On January 28, 2011, Griffen was arrested in Los Angeles for public intoxication. Three days later, he was arrested again after he was found driving with an invalid drivers license. He then tried to flee on foot only to be tased.[13] On October 11, 2012, Griffen was given an indefinite leave from the team after his mother died.[14]

On March 9, 2014, he re-signed with the Vikings, signing a five-year contract worth $42.5 million, including $20 million guaranteed.[15] On week 13 against the Carolina panthers, Griffen returned a block punt blocked by Jasper Brinkley and returned it for 43 yards for touchdown, making it the longest blocked punt returned by a Minnesota Vikings in franchise history. Griffen ended his 2014 season with 55 combined tackles, one forced fumble, one blocked punt for touchdown and 12 sacks which he lead the team with sacks.

Minnesota Vikings Franchise Records

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Crabtree, Jeremy (2006-06-07). "Griffen the Great". Rivals.com.
  2. ↑ Crabtree, Jeremy (2007-02-08). "Pac-10 Signing Day Blitz: Ranking each conference team's 2007 recruiting class". Sports Illustrated.
  3. ↑ http://az.milesplit.com/meets/38301/results/68375
  4. ↑ http://footballtalentadvisors.com/blog/tag/everson-griffen/
  5. ↑ "Scout.com: Everson Griffen Profile". Recruiting.scout.com. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Miller, Ted (2008-05-02). "Griffen ready to leave his mark on Pac-10 QBs". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-05-04.
  7. ↑ Ted Miller, Griffen ready to leave his mark on Pac-10 QBs, ESPN.com, May 2, 2008, Accessed May 4, 2008.
  8. ↑ Griffen Named Freshman All-American
  9. ↑ Coach Carroll's April Fool's Joke on YouTube
  10. ↑ Ted Miller, Clearing up the details of the Griffen 'legal' issue, ESPN.com, July 9, 2009, Accessed July 9, 2009.
  11. ↑ Hiserman, Mike (December 26, 2009), "USC's Everson Griffen says he's turning pro", Los Angeles Times
  12. ↑ "Everson Griffen Combine Profile", NFL.com, retrieved March 4, 2010
  13. ↑ "Everson Griffen arrested twice in three days". Yahoo! Sports.
  14. ↑ "Minnesota Vikings excuse Everson Griffen after mother's death". NFL.com. Retrieved 2012-10-12.
  15. ↑ "Everson Griffen gets $42.5M deal". ESPN.com. March 9, 2014.

External links