North Dakota
Vikings sign Inver Grove Heights native, North Dakota WR Garrett Maag
A performer runs with a flag before the game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium on January 9, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ((Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Vikings added to their wide receiver room Friday, and did so with a local product who didn’t live too far from TCO Performance Center.
The Vikings signed Garrett Maag, an Inver Grove Heights native who was a standout at St. Croix Lutheran before going onto play at North Dakota. He comes to Minnesota as an undrafted college free agent, and in his final year at North Dakota, he had 41 catches for 540 yards and five touchdowns.
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In 39 career starts with the Fighting Hawks, Maag had 162 catches for 2,152 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was named All-Missouri Valley Conference Honorable Mention in 2020, and was a captain his final two seasons.
Maag is 6-4, 209 pounds and now takes the place of tight end Ben Ellefson, who medically retired from football on Thursday. He joins a wide receiver room that includes Justin Jefferson, KJ Osborn, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor among others. Maag’s route to a roster spot is likely through special teams, which is also where Minnesota native Adam Thielen earned his spot before becoming a top receiver.
The Vikings resume one more week of OTAs next week at TCO Performance Center before wrapping up the offseason with mandatory minicamp June 13-14.