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Inside The Vikings

Adrian Peterson's 14-Year-Old Son Has Offers From Minnesota, Miami, More

Adrian Peterson Jr. is receiving major college interest despite still being in eighth grade.
Will Ragatz|
Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Ex Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson salutes the crowd in the third quarter in a game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Nov 27, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Ex Minnesota Viking Adrian Peterson salutes the crowd in the third quarter in a game against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

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Wanna feel old? Adrian Peterson Jr., the son of former Vikings star running back Adrian Peterson, has received several offers from major college football programs, including the University of Minnesota.

Peterson Jr. is just 14 years old and hasn't yet begun high school. He's in the 2030 recruiting class and is set to begin his freshman year at Ridge Point High School in the Houston (TX) area this fall.

Currently listed at 6'1" and 175 pounds, Peterson Jr. plays wide receiver, running back, and defensive back. He also plays baseball and runs track, according to his X/Twitter bio. He announced an offer from the Gophers on Friday and has previously announced offers from Miami, Baylor, UTSA, and Missouri State.

“I told him, ‘Man, I wasn’t getting scholarship offers in eighth grade and I didn’t get my first one until my sophomore year,’” Peterson told KPRC TV. “I told him, ‘You’ve got a lot of time ahead, so just enjoy the process and embrace it. God has blessed you, but just continue to remember you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. So, continue to improve and enjoy it all.’”

It'll be a while before we see Peterson Jr. at the college level, but he has the size, athleticism, and genes to feel like a slam-dunk Division 1 prospect before playing his first high school game.

The elder Peterson, now 41, is one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. He starred at Oklahoma for three years and was drafted seventh overall by the Vikings in 2007. Peterson was the NFL rookie of the year and then made first team All-Pro for the first of four times in 2008. He was the NFL MVP in 2012 after returning from an ACL injury and rushing for 2,097 yards.

Peterson missed almost the entire 2014 season due to an NFL suspension after he was indicted for felony child abuse involving his then-4-year-old son (Peterson Jr. would've been around 2 at the time). He returned in 2015 and was a first-team All-Pro for the final time. He then missed most of the 2016 season due to injury.

From 2017 to 2021, after leaving the Vikings, Peterson played for the Saints, Cardinals, Redskins, Lions, Titans, and Seahawks. His 14,918 career rushing yards are the fifth-most in league history. A seven-time Pro Bowler, Peterson will be eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame induction in 2027.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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