Osemele, Johnson both ‘competitive, hard-working players,’ Frazier says

Dan Tracy

INDIANAPOLIS — A month after coaching former ISU offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele and defensive back Leonard Johnson at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier will have another chance to take a look at the two former Cyclones and more than 300 other players at this week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.

“They both did a good job for us down there,” Frazier said of Osemele and Johnson. “Both guys are very competitive, hard-working players and we’ll get a chance during the course of this offseason to continue to evaluate them and determine if they’re going to be fits for us, but I’m sure they’ll have a chance to play somewhere in the league.”

Frazier and the rest of the Vikings’ staff coached the North squad throughout the week and during the Jan. 28 game the North won 23-13 against the South. Osemele was part of an offensive line unit that paved the way for 69 yards on the ground while Johnson broke up one pass in the game.

“We saw some improvement as time went on not only in [Osemele and Johnson] but in other players as well, so I thought there were some things that really caught our staff’s interest and we’ll see what happens over the next few weeks,” Frazier said.

The NFL combine will continue through Tuesday. Osemele, who has been projected by some as a first-round draft pick, will go through on-field testing on Saturday beginning with his 40-yard dash at 10 a.m. while Johnson, projected as a second-, third- or fourth-round pick, will start with his 40-yard dash at 8 a.m. Tuesday.