For the past couple of seasons, linebackers Ben Leber and Chad Greenway have given the Vikings a South Dakota flavor. Now, a third native of the Rushmore State is trying to make the team.  And he's going in foot first.

For someone who grew up in Aberdeen, getting a chance with the Vikings is as convenient as it gets for Taylor Mehlhaff.

"This is great to be over here and be close to home and I think there will be a lot of people coming and checking out practices and being over here," Mehlhaff said.  "It'll be pretty cool, being close to home."

Mehlhaff signed with the Vikings after being released by the New Orleans Saints last November. But he says his experience in the Big Easy was beneficial.

"I think I'm smarter this time around," Mehlhaff explained.  "Last year, down with the Saints, I learned a lot. I'm not a rookie anymore and so, I think I learned a lot and we were in a dead-heat competition last year."

With Ryan Longwell already entrenched as the Vikings placekicker, Minnesota is hoping Mehlhaff can provide stability on kickoffs. So while it may not be a direct competition, the former Wisconsin Badger says it's another opportunity to learn.

"Ryan's one of the top kickers in the league," Mehlhaff said.  "He's a very good kicker and I need to take advantage of that. I need to soak up as much info as I can."

Mehlhaff understands he's being brought in solely as a kickoff specialist, but that doesn't mean he's not practicing his field goals.

"You need to prove that you're a field goal guy too, that you can kick field goals," Mehlhaff said.  "You're going to get opportunities in the preseason games and you got to go out there and kick well.  But, I've been working on kickoffs more than I normally would."

And he's hoping the kickoffs can kick start his career.

Although unusual, the Vikings have employed the two-kicker system in the past.  Most recently, during the 2002 season, Gary Anderson kicked field goals while Doug Brien served as the kickoff specialist.