Career at OU
Adrian Peterson showed all the signs, even at college level, of becoming a true NFL star. He broke several NCAA freshman rushing records by rushing for 1925 yards. He led the nation in carries with 339, and he was a finalist for the Heisman trophy, finishing a close second to the USC quarterback phenomenon Matt Leinart, which was the highest finish for a freshman ever recorded!
His playing time in 2005 got cut down due to an ankle sprain, but this didn't slow him down when he was able to come back. The injury occurred in the first big 12 conference game of the season in a game against Kansas State University. Even with him missing four games, he rushed for 1,208 yards, scoring 15 touchdowns on 220 carries. He finished second in the big 12 for rushing yardage not bad for having suffered an ankle injury. People always said that Adrian's work ethic was incredible and that even though he basically torn himself up playing and working hard to be ready for games, he is still going as strong as ever.
He suffered another injury during a game in 2006 against Iowa State. In the game, he dove into the end zone to end a 53 yard touchdown run, breaking his collar bone. Doctors told him that he would be out for a good four to six weeks, but he needed only 150 rushing yards to pass Billy Sims as the all time leading rusher for the University of Oklahoma. He was not able to play, however, until the last game against Boise State during the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. In this game, Adrian rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown just 73 yards short of the record. But he finished up 3 seasons of college ball with Oklahoma for a total of 4,045 rushing yards. Not too shabby for the young up and coming athlete.
At this point, many said that Adrian was destined for greatness. And they were right. He then was drafted by the Vikings, and in 2007 was named offensive Rookie of the Year. He had rushed for over 1,300 yards for the course of his first NFL season, even though he was out for awhile with a knee injury. Even though he has a mild history of injuries under his belt, he also has some spectacular college and pro play. Adrian Peterson is definitely one to watch.
