Minnesota Vikings draft history
1997 NFL Draft
Table:
Round
Pick #
Overall
Name
Position
College

1
20
20
Dwayne Rudd
Linebacker
Alabama

2
19
49
Torrian Gray
Safety
Virginia Tech

3
18
78
Stalin Colinet
Defensive end
Boston College

4
17
113
Antonio Banks
Defensive back
Virginia Tech

5
21
151
Tony Williams
Defensive tackle
Memphis

6
20
183
Robert Tate
Cornerback
Cincinnati

7
19
220
Artie Ulmer
Linebacker
Valdosta State

7
34
235
Matthew Hatchette
Wide receiver
Langston

Looking at the tabular data along with the supporting evidence listed at the end.

State the answer to the question: For the player with the lowest overall that is not a linebacker , how many variations does the position have ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Dwayne Rudd ( born February 3 , 1976 ) is a retired American football linebacker who played in the National Football League . During his career he played for the Minnesota Vikings , the Cleveland Browns and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . Rudd was a teammate of Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Deshea Townsend in both high school and college , at South Panola High School and the University of Alabama , respectively . Derek Pegues , a South Panola alum and an All-SEC Defensive Back for Mississippi State , is his cousin . [ citation needed ]
A linebacker ( LB or backer ) is a playing position in gridiron football . Linebackers are members of the defensive team , and line up approximately three to five yards ( 4 m ) behind the line of scrimmage , behind the defensive linemen , and therefore back up the line . Linebackers generally align themselves before the ball is snapped by standing upright in a two-point stance ( as opposed to the defensive linemen , who put one or two hands on the ground for a three-point stance or four-point stance before the ball is snapped ) . The goal of the linebacker is to provide either extra run defense or extra pass defense based on the particular defensive play being executed . Another key play of the linebacker position is blitzing . A blitz occurs when a linebacker acts as an extra pass rusher running into any exposed gap . When a blitz is called by the defense , it is mainly to sack or hurry the opposing offense 's quarterback . Linebackers are often regarded as the most important position in defense , due to their versatility in providing hard hits on running plays or an additional layer of pass defense , when required . Similar to the free safety position , linebackers are required to use their judgment on every snap , to determine their role during that particular play .
The Alabama Crimson Tide football program represents the University of Alabama ( variously Alabama , UA , or Bama ) in the sport of American football . The team competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) and the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) . The team is currently coached by Nick Saban . The Crimson Tide is among the most storied and decorated football programs in NCAA history . Since beginning play in 1892 , the program claims 17 national championships , including 12 wire-service ( AP or Coaches ) national titles in the poll-era , and five other titles before the poll-era . From 1958 to 1982 , the team was led by Hall of Fame coach Paul Bear Bryant , who won six national championships with the program . Despite numerous national and conference championships , it was not until 2009 that an Alabama player received a Heisman Trophy , when running back Mark Ingram became the university 's first winner . In 2015 , Derrick Henry became the university 's second Heisman winner . Alabama has 916 official victories [ a ] [ b ] in NCAA Division I ( an additional 21 victories were vacated , and eight victories and one tie were forfeited ) , has won 31 conference championships ( 4 Southern Conference and 27 SEC championships ) , and has made an NCAA-record 71 postseason bowl appearances . Other NCAA records include 23 winning streaks of ten games or more and 19 seasons with a 10-0 start . The program has 34 seasons with ten wins or more ( plus one vacated ) and has 41 [ b ] bowl victories , both NCAA records . Alabama has completed ten undefeated seasons , nine of which were perfect seasons .
Torrian Gray ( born March 18 , 1974 ) is an American football coach and former player .
Safety , historically known as a safetyman , is a position in gridiron football played by a member of the defense . The safeties are defensive backs who line up from ten to fifteen yards from the line of scrimmage . There are two variations of the position in a typical American formation : the free safety ( FS ) and the strong safety ( SS ) . Their duties depend on the defensive scheme . The defensive responsibilities of the safety and cornerback usually involve pass coverage towards the middle and sidelines of the field , respectively . While American ( 11-player ) formations generally use two safeties , Canadian ( 12-player ) formations generally have one safety and two defensive halfbacks , a position not used in the American game . As professional and college football have become more focused on the passing game , safeties have become more involved in covering the eligible pass receivers . Safeties are the last line of defense ; they are expected to be reliable tacklers , and many safeties rank among the hardest hitters in football . Safety positions can also be converted cornerbacks , either by design ( Byron Jones ) or as a cornerback ages ( Charles Woodson , DeAngelo Hall , Lardarius Webb , Tramon Williams ) . Historically , in the era of the one-platoon system , the safety was known as the defensive fullback ( specifically the free safety ; the strong safety would be a defensive halfback , a term still in Canadian parlance ) or goaltender .
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the sport of American football . The Hokies compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference . They previously competed in the Big East . Their home games are played at Lane Stadium , located in Blacksburg , Virginia with a seating capacity of over 65,000 fans . Lane Stadium was [ when ? ] considered to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country , being voted number one in ESPN 's Top 20 Scariest Places to Play . Also , it was recognized in 2005 by Rivals.com as having the best home-field advantage in the country . It is currently the 31st largest stadium in college football . In 124 seasons , the Hokies have won over 700 games and appeared in 32 bowl games , including the 2000 BCS National Championship game . The Hokies currently rank 23rd among all Division I college football teams for most wins . With 25 consecutive bowl appearances , beginning in 1993 , the Hokies currently have the longest bowl game streak in the country recognized by the NCAA . The program has also claimed ten conference titles ( 2 South Atlantic , 1 Southern , 3 Big East & 4 ACC ) and produced eight All-Americans .
Stalin D. Colinet ( /ˌkɒlɪˈneɪ/ KOL-ih-NAY ; born July 17 , 1974 ) is a former defensive tackle/defensive end in the NFL .
Defensive End ( DE ) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football . This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line , but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is played .
The Boston College Eagles football team represents Boston College in the sport of American football . The Eagles compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision ( FBS ) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) and the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference ( ACC ) . Formed in 1892 , Boston College 's football team was one of six Major College football programs in New England as designated by NCAA classifications , starting in 1938 . By 1981 , and for the remainder of the twentieth century , BC was New England 's sole Division I-A program . It has amassed a 632-454-37 record and is 99-54 since the turn of the 21st century . [ citation needed ] After Steve Addazio was fired as the team 's head coach , they hired Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley on December 14 , 2019 . Boston College is one of only two Catholic universities that field a team in the Football Bowl Subdivision , the other being Notre Dame . The Eagles ' home games are played at Alumni Stadium on the Boston College campus in Chestnut Hill , Massachusetts . In addition to success on the gridiron , Boston College football teams are consistently ranked among the nation 's best for academic achievement and graduation . In 2005 , 2006 , and 2007 , the football team 's Academic Progress Rate was the highest of any school that finished the season ranked in the AP or ESPN/USA Today Coaches ' polls .
Antonio Dontral Banks ( born March 12 , 1973 ) is an American football coach and former cornerback in the National Football League ( NFL ) with the Minnesota Vikings . Banks is currently the defensive backs coach for IMG Academy .
In gridiron football , defensive backs ( DBs ) are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage ; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers , who take positions directly behind or close to the line of scrimmage . The defensive backs , in turn , generally are classified into several different specialized positions :
Tony Williams ( born July 9 , 1975 ) is a former American football defensive tackle in the National Football League ( NFL ) . He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 1997 NFL Draft . He played college football at Memphis . Williams also played for the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars .
A defensive tackle ( DT ) is typically the largest and strongest of the defensive players in American football . The defensive tackle typically lines up opposite one of the offensive guards . Depending on a team 's individual defensive scheme , a defensive tackle may be called upon to fill several different roles . These roles may include merely holding the point of attack by refusing to be moved or penetrating a certain gap between offensive linemen to break up a play in the opponent 's backfield . If a defensive tackle reads a pass play , his primary responsibility is to pursue the quarterback , or simply knock the pass down at the line if it is within arm 's reach . Other responsibilities of the defensive tackle may be to pursue the screen pass or drop into coverage in a zone blitz scheme . In a traditional 4-3 defense , there is no nose tackle . Instead there is a left and right defensive tackle . Some teams , especially in the National Football League ( NFL ) , do have a nose tackle in this scheme , but most of them do not .
The Memphis Tigers football team represents the University of Memphis in college football in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . The Tigers play in the American Athletic Conference as an all-sports member . They play home games at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium . The team 's current head coach is Ryan Silverfield . Since their inaugural season in 1912 , the Memphis Tigers have won over 450 games and appeared in thirteen bowl games . The program has also claimed six conference championships with the most recent coming in 2019 .
Robert Tate ( born October 19 , 1973 ) is a retired American football cornerback and return specialist . Tate played nine seasons of professional football in the National Football League with the Minnesota Vikings , Baltimore Ravens and the Arizona Cardinals . Tate played in college for the University of Cincinnati . Originally a wide receiver , he was converted to defensive back upon entering the NFL . Tate played at Cincinnati with notable NFL players Artrell Hawkins , Sam Garnes and Jason Fabini .
A cornerback ( CB ) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football . Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time , but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses . They create turnovers through hard tackles , interceptions , and deflecting forward passes . Other members of the defensive backfield include strong and free safeties . The cornerback position requires speed , agility , and strength . A cornerback 's skill set typically requires proficiency in anticipating the quarterback , backpedaling , executing single and zone coverage , disrupting pass routes , block shedding , and tackling . Cornerbacks are among the fastest players on the field .
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in college football . They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the American Athletic Conference , and have played their home games in historic Nippert Stadium since 1924 . The Bearcats have an all-time record of over .500 as of 2018 , having reached their 600th program victory in 2017 . The team has had a bit of a resurgence in the past few years , going 98-56 since 2006 , along with 9 bowl game appearances , 5 conference titles , two BCS Bowl berths , and 22 NFL Draft selections .
Charles Artie Ulmer ( born July 30 , 1973 ) is a former professional American football linebacker in the National Football League . He played for the Minnesota Vikings ( 1997 ) , the Denver Broncos ( 1999 ) , the San Francisco 49ers ( 2000 ) , and the Atlanta Falcons ( 2001-2005 ) .
The Valdosta State football team represents Valdosta State University in football . The Blazers are a member of the Gulf South Conference ( GSC ) in NCAA Division II . Valdosta State University has had a football team since 1981 . The Blazers play in Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in Valdosta , Georgia , which has a capacity of 11,249 . The stadium is also the home of the historical Valdosta High School Wildcats . The Blazers have won a total of four Division II National Championship titles ( 2004 , 2007 , 2012 and 2018 ) .
Matthew Hatchette ( born May 1 , 1974 ) is a former a professional American football player who played wide receiver for six regular seasons for the Minnesota Vikings , the New York Jets , and the Jacksonville Jaguars . During his career , he caught 60 passes for 887 yards and six touchdowns , averaging 14.8 yards per catch . His playoff statistics are six receptions for 39 yards and two touchdowns . In 2002 , he was signed to the Oakland Raiders , but was released in the pre-season due to a serious shoulder injury . He also played one season for the Amsterdam Admirals , an NFL Europe team , in 2003 . He was named to the All-NFL Europe Team that year and broke the League 's receiving records in number of passes caught , yardage , and touchdowns . He signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2003 . In Jacksonville , he played in six games , catching 15 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns . He was released following the 2003 season and retired shortly thereafter . A Langston University graduate , Hatchette initially attended Mercyhurst College in Erie , Pennsylvania . He attended Jefferson Area High School , where he played quarterback and was also a member of the basketball team . His retired # 5 jersey is on display in the school cafeteria , along with an article about when he was drafted .
A wide receiver , also referred to as wideouts or simply receivers , is an offensive position in gridiron football , and is a key player . They get their name because they are split out wide ( near the sidelines ) , farthest away from the rest of the team . Wide receivers are among the fastest players on the field . The wide receiver functions as the pass-catching specialist .
Langston University ( LU ) is a public university in Langston , Oklahoma . It is the only historically black college in the state . Though located in a rural setting 10 miles ( 16 km ) east of Guthrie , Langston also serves an urban mission , with University Centers in both Tulsa ( at the same campus as the OSU-Tulsa facility ) and Oklahoma City , and a nursing program set to open in Ardmore . The university is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund .