Aug 12, 2016; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Alex Erickson (12) scores a touchdown while being defended by Minnesota Vikings safety Jayron Kearse (27) in the first half in a preseason NFL football game at Paul Brown Stadium. The Vikings won 17-16. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

In this year’s NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings took a shot on Clemson safety Jayron Kearse. Will he be the next late round draft choice that will pay off for the Vikings front office?

In the mock draft season of this year’s NFL offseason, Clemson safety Jayron Kearse was given as high as a third round grade by some draft analysts. On draft weekend, he fell to the seventh round where the Minnesota Vikings took a shot on the high flying safety.

Kearse is in the direct lineage of Tennessee Titans legend Javon “the Freak” Kearse. He has the height and length of a wide receiver yet he plays the safety position.

Kearse was knocked in the pre draft process for being unmotivated, and some said at times he did not look like he was giving it his all towards the end of the season.

Who can blame him though? Look at the case of Jaylon Smith. Getting injured in the final game of his college career, and although he was drafted in the second round, no one knows if that injury will cost him his NFL career.

After the Vikings drafted Kearse in the seventh round, Head Coach Mike Zimmer was quoted saying that he was pulling to draft Kearse since round 5, although General Manager Rick Spielman had other plans until he fell to them in round 7.

Coming into training camp, most counted Kearse out of getting a spot on the Minnesota Vikings final roster. The safety position is one of the tightest position battle on the Vikings squad.

With Harrison Smith being on of, if not the best safety in the NFL, his spot on the roster is a lock. When the Vikings resigned Andrew Sendejo, that showed that his spot on the roster is a lock as well. The Vikings also brought in veteran Michael Griffin in free agency. There is also the emergence of young safety Anthony Harris.

The Vikings only kept four safeties last year. This means that Kearse will have to really show out to make the final roster.

So far in camp, any pictures of video you see including Kearse, shows him next to or following around veterans in the Vikings secondary like Harrison Smith, Xavier Rhodes, or Terence Newman.

It looks as though Kearse is putting in the work to learn all he can as his paves his road to an NFL squad.

This offseason, Kearse continues to impress the Vikings coaching staff.

Kearse has the length, height, and physical attributes to be a great player in this league.

In his first showing last week in Cincinnati, Kearse ended the game with an interception. Kearse seems to be determined to prove his worth as he plays with the seventh round chip on his shoulder.