Football: Former LBCC standout Stephen Burton drafted by Minnesota Vikings

Former Long Beach City College football standout wide receiver Stephen Burton was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in Saturday's final day of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Burton was selected in the seventh round and was the 236th overall pick of the draft. He was the only wide receiver taken by Minnesota and was just the 25th wide receiver selected overall during the entire draft.

"It was very exciting to get the call," Burton said in a West Texas A&M University press release. "I'll be honest, I was so excited I don't really know exactly who called me from the Vikings! I know there were a couple of people that were on the call with me, but it was a very exciting moment. I'm just thankful for the opportunity to get to continue playing football and to have the opportunity to play at the professional level. I'm ready to get to camp and start working."

Burton, originally out of Artesia High School, excelled on the field for LBCC during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. As a freshman, he earned second-team all-conference honors and was a first-team all-conference pick during his sophomore year.

In 2008, he scored a team-best 17 touchdowns. He led the Vikings with 823 receiving yards on just 39 catches with nine touchdowns. He also ran the ball 24 times for 96 yards and eight touchdowns.

Following LBCC, he took his talents to West Texas A&M and earned first-team All-Lone Star Conference honors as a senior this past fall after totaling 70 catches for 1,021 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Burton will look to join a list of 63 former LBCC Vikings to play in the NFL. Cornerback Nijrell Eason (1997-98) was the last former Viking to play in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals in 2002.