Elon’s Messer Invited to Minnesota Vikings Rookie Camp

ELON, N.C. – Announced Monday, April 29, Elon University football linebacker Warren Messer has been invited to participate in Minnesota Vikings rookie camp this weekend. Camp in Eagan, Minn., is set to start Friday.

Messer becomes the third Phoenix athlete to join the professional ranks in the last two days after Olisaemeka Udoh was drafted in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the Vikings and CJ Toogood signed a free agent contract with the Baltimore Ravens.

In 2018, Messer earned a pair of All-America honors from STATS FCS and Phil Steele FCS while earning First Team All-CAA for the second consecutive season. Named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List before the start of the season, Messer led the team with 93 tackles – 44 solo – with 11.0 for loss and 4.0 sacks, and his 8.5 tackles per game ranked fourth in the CAA. Having a career game against Rhode island with 14 tackles – seven solo – 2.5 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks to with two more quarterback hurries, Messer also returned an 86-yard interception for a touchdown on the way to earning STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Week.

In all, Messer finished his career with 13.0 sacks to tie for the most by a player during Elon’s FCS era. He also finished tied for third in the FCS era with 194 assisted tackles and seventh at the FCS level and 10th all-time with 318 career tackles across 42 games. In being named First Team All-CAA in back-to-back seasons, he became the first Elon player to earn consecutive First Team honors since Aaron Mellette did so when Elon was a member of the Southern Conference in 2011 and 2012 and the first defensive player since Chad Nkang in 2005 and 2006.