Vikings' Aiyegbusi: 'I will be happy when I put J.J. Watt to the ground'
New Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Babatunde Aiyegbusi, signed from Poland earlier this offseason, is taking aim at the best of the best as he makes his transition to the NFL.
Recalling his conversation with Vikings director of pro scouting Ryan Monnens after officially signing his deal, the 6-foot-9, 351-pound tackle explained to Tom Pelissero of USA Today that his football goals go beyond just playing in the league.
"What surprised Ryan - I wasn't jumping around, like big, happy of signing it. He was like, 'Are you not happy?' I said, 'I will be happy when I put (Houston Texans star) J.J. Watt to the ground.' (Monnens) started laughing."
Though he may be getting a bit ahead of himself, confidence is certainly a trait that will do him well when it comes to playing at this level.
Aiyegbusi says that he's determined to prove he has what it takes to compete against the NFL's elite talents.
"I'm a realist. But I'm about to bring my best to the table. It ain't going to be easy for either of us to go against each other. And maybe there will be some lack of technique. But they'll get (an) aggressive, big guy trying to get the gap and go to the second level. If they ain't going to bring all they got, they're going to be pushed backward."
Unforunately for Aiyegbusi, the Vikings won't play against Watt's Texans in the 2015 regular season. If he can put together a productive rookie campaign and earn a long-term role with the team, however, it won't be long before he gets his chance to take on the two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
- With h/t to ProFootballTalk