Dan Mozes Daniel Mozes ( born September 15 , 1983 ) is an American football center who last was a member of the Minnesota Vikings the National Football League ( NFL ) . He played college football for West Virginia University , earned All - American honors , and was recognized as the best college center . He signed with the NFL ' s Minnesota Vikings , and is currently a free agent . College career . Mozes attended West Virginia University , where he was a four - year starter for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team from 2003 to 2006 . For the first two years of his career , he played at left guard on the offensive line . In the middle of his junior year , he moved to center . He was a three - time All - Big East academic all - star ( 2003 – 2005 ) . Freshman ( 2002 ) . Mozes redshirted and saw no action the entire season . However , he still won the Danny Van Etten Award as top offensive rookie performer on WVU ' s scout team s . Freshman ( 2003 ) . After redshirting a year , Mozes started every game his redshirt freshman season at left guard . During 2003 , he was named first - team All - Big East and became a freshman All - American while starting every game . He recorded 32 knockdowns and was the MVP against the Central Florida and Rutgers . He won the Gridiron Gladiator Award from the WVU coaches for his play on - field . He recorded a team high six knockdowns against the Miami Hurricanes and five against Virginia Tech . He suffered a hip sprain against the Pitt . He won MVP honors against Wisconsin and was named rookie of the week against Cincinnati . Sophomore ( 2004 ) . Mozes was named First Team All - Big East , and started every game of the season . He also won academic All - Big East accolades . Junior ( 2005 ) . During his junior year , Mozes started two games at left guard . For the game against Maryland , he was moved to center . Since that game , he started at that position . After recording seven knockdowns , he sprained his left ankle in the game against Cincinnati , which put him in pain for the last three games of the season . He was named Offensive MVP against Virginia Tech and Pitt . He was named 2005 Second - team All - American by the " Associated Press " . He was also named first - team All - Big East for the second consecutive year , Rimington Trophy finalist , named to the ESPN All - Conference squad , and named to the All - ECAC squad . Senior ( 2006 ) . As a senior , Mozes was named a NCAA consensus All - American and won the Rimington Trophy for the nation ' s best Center . By winning the award , he became the first Mountaineer since 1916 ( when awards were first handed out ) to win a national award . He was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy , was a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award , and won the Rimington Trophy . He led the way for the Mountaineers team that recorded over 3 , 600 yards rushing in 2006 . His offensive line also was strong in the passing game , where they only gave up 1 . 17 sacks per game ( Mozes gave up no sacks ) . He , and the back he blocked for , Steve Slaton , were the only Big East players named to first - team All - American team , and they were the first pair of consensus All - Americans in school history . Mozes and Slaton were also the 10th and 11th players in school history to earn the honor . On May 17 , 2007 , about a month after signing his deal with the Vikings in the NFL , Mozes won the 2007 Fred Schaus Captain ' s Award . The award is presented annually to the school ' s most outstanding varsity team captains . Professional career . Pre - Draft . Mozes left West Virginia as a senior and was expected to be a second - day pick in the 2007 NFL Draft . During the Senior Bowl , he did fairly well . During practice , a botched snap occurred between himself and Troy Smith , but it was not determined who caused the mistake . On the January 23 , during practice , Mozes reportedly " cheap shotted " defensive tackle Amobi Okoye on the neck , while two days later , Mozes was said to have been " blown by " by Okoye . Mozes started the game for the North side at center . After the Senior Bowl , NFL Draft Countdown ' s Scott Wright reported that Mozes was the ninth prospect whose stock was slipping the most , saying " [ He is a ] Highly - decorated college player who lacks the physical tools for the next level . " ESPN reported that Mozes was their # 8 Center in the 2007 class . His effort was a big positive , while they worried about his size against NFL defenders . He was compared to Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday . " Athlon Sports " reported that Mozes was their eighth center in the class as well . They said his " " good smarts and instincts " " were a positive , while he " " struggles to get movement off the ball . " " In an April 19 article from Sports Illustrated . com , writer Stewart Mandel picked Mozes as the most underrated offensive lineman in the class . Mandel said , " . . . Mozes was one of the nation ' s best . It ' s hard to believe he ' s not worthy of a selection somewhere over the course of seven rounds . " NFL Draft . Mozes went unselected in the 2007 NFL Draft . He was signed a day after by the Minnesota Vikings . National Football League career . Mozes checked into Gage Hall on July 25 , for the start of training camp . He completed his physical upon arrival and passed completely for the 2007 season . However , on August 6 , 2007 , he tore his Anterior cruciate ligament ( ACL ) on his right knee while making a block in practice . He was then place on Injured Reserve on August 8 . And missing the entire 2007 season . He was waived by the Vikings on August 8 . However , he returned to the Vikings for their 2008 training camp due to the absence of Matt Birk . Coaching career . University of Michigan . Mozes is currently an assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Michigan , joining the program in February 2009 . His boss at Michigan , Mike Barwis , was his strength coach at West Virginia .