Adrian Peterson quickly takes the NFL by storm with speed, power
By CHAREAN WILLIAMS
Star-Telegram staff writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune/Carlos Gonzalez via MCT
Adrian Peterson, with blazing speed and a 217-pound frame, leads the NFL with 607 yards rushing, and signs point to him being the league's next superstar.
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It wasn't that long ago that Adrian Peterson got a little too big-headed for his father's liking. Nelson Peterson told his then-teenage son, who was just starting to be recognized as a Texas high school running back at Palestine, "Hey, man, who knows who Adrian Peterson is? Nobody."
Everybody knows now.
Peterson leads the NFL in rushing with 607 yards, including a franchise-record 224 last week against Chicago. He returns to Texas today with some 300 supporters expected at Texas Stadium to root him on against the Cowboys.
Peterson has outgrown his Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin jerseys, but having grown up 137 miles from Texas Stadium, he still has feelings for the Cowboys.
"Growing up in Texas, and being a Cowboys fan growing up, I've definitely been looking forward to this weekend," said Peterson, who attended his first Cowboys game as a high school senior.
Peterson was a fan of all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, but, at 217 pounds and with a 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash, his running style is closer to Eric Dickerson. Dickerson, a Sealy native, set the NFL rookie record with 1,808 rushing yards in 1983, becoming one of only five rookies to lead the league in rushing. Peterson is on pace for 1,942 yards.
"The dude is something special," Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams said of Peterson. "... I tell him: Don't try to be the next this guy or the next that guy. Just be the first Adrian Peterson. Don't be afraid to set that bar higher than it's been set before."
Peterson should have been the No. 1 pick, Gil Brandt, the Cowboys' former player personnel director, attests. But Peterson reinjured his collarbone in the Fiesta Bowl, and some teams believed he might need surgery to stabilize it. (He didn't.)
"I knew the collarbone issue was definitely a factor in a lot of guys' decision," Peterson said. "I really can't blame them."
The former Oklahoma star lasted until the seventh pick. But no rookie, not JaMarcus Russell, not Calvin Johnson, not Joe Thomas, not Gaines Adams, not Levi Brown and not LaRon Landry, all of whom were drafted before Peterson, has had the impact Peterson has.
In their illustrious history, the Bears have never allowed a player more rushing yards than Peterson gained against them last week. Only once in five games -- a 20-17 loss to the Lions in Week 2 -- has Peterson been held under 100 yards.
"Adrian looks like a grown man playing in a pee-wee game," Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said.
Peterson, 22, wasn't supposed to be this good, this fast.
But that's just it -- he is that fast.
"They just maybe don't understand that he's 220 pounds and fast," Oklahoma running backs coach Cale Gundy said. "I know it's the NFL, and I know they have fast players, but he's going to line up and be in the top-five fastest guys on the field, both teams, every day, whoever he plays. When he breaks out in the open sometimes, I think maybe DBs take angles, not knowing exactly what they're dealing with."
Peterson was born fast. Nelson Peterson, who played college basketball at Idaho State, said he had 4.4 speed. Peterson's mother, Bonita Jackson, was a track star at the University of Houston, where she once ran an 11.39 in the 100-meter dash.
Nelson Peterson, who nicknamed his son A.D. or "All Day," first witnessed his son's speed when he coached his pee-wee team. Peterson, then 7, was the fastest player on the field. But Nelson Peterson demanded that Adrian also be the hardest working, a trait that has stayed with him.
"I wasn't going to coddle him or accept him lollygagging," said Nelson Peterson, who now lives in Oklahoma City. "So he ran hard on every play. He was always full speed at the hole, and he hit the hole hard. He still runs like that today."
In earning National Player of the Year honors as a senior at Palestine, Peterson ran for 2,960 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. In track, he ran a 10.33 in the 100-meter dash.
It was then that Peterson raised eyebrows when he said he was faster than any player on the Cowboys roster and declared himself ready for the NFL. (NFL rules prohibit players from entering the draft until they are three years removed from high school.)
"If anybody could've [made the jump from high school], it would've been him," said Peterson's high school coach, Jeff Harrell, who now coaches in Texarkana. "He was a tremendous athlete in high school, but he matured physically at Oklahoma and really honed his skills."
Peterson, who has been "as good as advertised," according to Vikings coach Brad Childress, is making Minnesota pay. Peterson will have $6.95 million added to his contract if he rushes for at least 1,300 yards and earns a Pro Bowl berth this season. If he ends the season with between 1,000 and 1,299 yards, he gets an extra $5.95 million. For 700-plus yards, which he is within 94 yards of, he will get an additional $3.95 million. He also has a $250,000 incentive for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That's on the field. Off the field, he has endorsement deals with Nike, Muscle Milk/Cytomax and EA Sports, and is primed to become the next big thing.
"The on-field is paramount to any marketing; it's the engine that drives the car," said Peterson's marketing agent, Bill Henkel, who has worked with Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees. "And this guy has superstar potential."
Rookie record
Adrian Peterson leads the NFL with 607 rushing yards,
including a franchise-record 224 last week at Chicago. He is averaging 121.4 yards per game, putting him on pace for 1,942 yards this season. Eric Dickerson's rookie record is 1,808 in 1983. Here are the top five rookie rushers all time:
Eric Dickerson LA Rams, 1983
George Rogers New Orleans, 1981
Ottis Anderson St. Louis Cardinals, 1979
Edgerrin James Indianapolis, 1999
Clinton Portis Denver, 2002
Adrian Peterson Minnesota, 2007
1,808
1,674
1,605
1,553
1,508
607 (on pace for 1,942)
Star-Telegram staff writer
Minneapolis Star Tribune/Carlos Gonzalez via MCT
Adrian Peterson, with blazing speed and a 217-pound frame, leads the NFL with 607 yards rushing, and signs point to him being the league's next superstar.
Here's one way to slow great runners: Don't start them
A 'season' to remember for Cowboys and Romo
Cowboys fans should be thanking Reeves
Cowboys must find first-half rhythm
It wasn't that long ago that Adrian Peterson got a little too big-headed for his father's liking. Nelson Peterson told his then-teenage son, who was just starting to be recognized as a Texas high school running back at Palestine, "Hey, man, who knows who Adrian Peterson is? Nobody."
Everybody knows now.
Peterson leads the NFL in rushing with 607 yards, including a franchise-record 224 last week against Chicago. He returns to Texas today with some 300 supporters expected at Texas Stadium to root him on against the Cowboys.
Peterson has outgrown his Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin jerseys, but having grown up 137 miles from Texas Stadium, he still has feelings for the Cowboys.
"Growing up in Texas, and being a Cowboys fan growing up, I've definitely been looking forward to this weekend," said Peterson, who attended his first Cowboys game as a high school senior.
Peterson was a fan of all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, but, at 217 pounds and with a 4.38 time in the 40-yard dash, his running style is closer to Eric Dickerson. Dickerson, a Sealy native, set the NFL rookie record with 1,808 rushing yards in 1983, becoming one of only five rookies to lead the league in rushing. Peterson is on pace for 1,942 yards.
"The dude is something special," Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams said of Peterson. "... I tell him: Don't try to be the next this guy or the next that guy. Just be the first Adrian Peterson. Don't be afraid to set that bar higher than it's been set before."
Peterson should have been the No. 1 pick, Gil Brandt, the Cowboys' former player personnel director, attests. But Peterson reinjured his collarbone in the Fiesta Bowl, and some teams believed he might need surgery to stabilize it. (He didn't.)
"I knew the collarbone issue was definitely a factor in a lot of guys' decision," Peterson said. "I really can't blame them."
The former Oklahoma star lasted until the seventh pick. But no rookie, not JaMarcus Russell, not Calvin Johnson, not Joe Thomas, not Gaines Adams, not Levi Brown and not LaRon Landry, all of whom were drafted before Peterson, has had the impact Peterson has.
In their illustrious history, the Bears have never allowed a player more rushing yards than Peterson gained against them last week. Only once in five games -- a 20-17 loss to the Lions in Week 2 -- has Peterson been held under 100 yards.
"Adrian looks like a grown man playing in a pee-wee game," Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson said.
Peterson, 22, wasn't supposed to be this good, this fast.
But that's just it -- he is that fast.
"They just maybe don't understand that he's 220 pounds and fast," Oklahoma running backs coach Cale Gundy said. "I know it's the NFL, and I know they have fast players, but he's going to line up and be in the top-five fastest guys on the field, both teams, every day, whoever he plays. When he breaks out in the open sometimes, I think maybe DBs take angles, not knowing exactly what they're dealing with."
Peterson was born fast. Nelson Peterson, who played college basketball at Idaho State, said he had 4.4 speed. Peterson's mother, Bonita Jackson, was a track star at the University of Houston, where she once ran an 11.39 in the 100-meter dash.
Nelson Peterson, who nicknamed his son A.D. or "All Day," first witnessed his son's speed when he coached his pee-wee team. Peterson, then 7, was the fastest player on the field. But Nelson Peterson demanded that Adrian also be the hardest working, a trait that has stayed with him.
"I wasn't going to coddle him or accept him lollygagging," said Nelson Peterson, who now lives in Oklahoma City. "So he ran hard on every play. He was always full speed at the hole, and he hit the hole hard. He still runs like that today."
In earning National Player of the Year honors as a senior at Palestine, Peterson ran for 2,960 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. In track, he ran a 10.33 in the 100-meter dash.
It was then that Peterson raised eyebrows when he said he was faster than any player on the Cowboys roster and declared himself ready for the NFL. (NFL rules prohibit players from entering the draft until they are three years removed from high school.)
"If anybody could've [made the jump from high school], it would've been him," said Peterson's high school coach, Jeff Harrell, who now coaches in Texarkana. "He was a tremendous athlete in high school, but he matured physically at Oklahoma and really honed his skills."
Peterson, who has been "as good as advertised," according to Vikings coach Brad Childress, is making Minnesota pay. Peterson will have $6.95 million added to his contract if he rushes for at least 1,300 yards and earns a Pro Bowl berth this season. If he ends the season with between 1,000 and 1,299 yards, he gets an extra $5.95 million. For 700-plus yards, which he is within 94 yards of, he will get an additional $3.95 million. He also has a $250,000 incentive for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That's on the field. Off the field, he has endorsement deals with Nike, Muscle Milk/Cytomax and EA Sports, and is primed to become the next big thing.
"The on-field is paramount to any marketing; it's the engine that drives the car," said Peterson's marketing agent, Bill Henkel, who has worked with Peyton Manning, LaDainian Tomlinson and Drew Brees. "And this guy has superstar potential."
Rookie record
Adrian Peterson leads the NFL with 607 rushing yards,
including a franchise-record 224 last week at Chicago. He is averaging 121.4 yards per game, putting him on pace for 1,942 yards this season. Eric Dickerson's rookie record is 1,808 in 1983. Here are the top five rookie rushers all time:
Eric Dickerson LA Rams, 1983
George Rogers New Orleans, 1981
Ottis Anderson St. Louis Cardinals, 1979
Edgerrin James Indianapolis, 1999
Clinton Portis Denver, 2002
Adrian Peterson Minnesota, 2007
1,808
1,674
1,605
1,553
1,508
607 (on pace for 1,942)
posted by The Gryphon at 12:28 PM
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