ARDEN HILLS, Minn.—The Minnesota Vikings made waves at the 2014 National Football League Draft with a pair of first-round selections, and fans got their first look at the two new additions last weekend at the team's Rookie Camp. Though the two high-profile picks' first day on the job surely generated excitement for Vikings fans, there was another duo invited to camp that captured the attention of Bethel University and Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) football fans.

Royals teammates Seth Mathis and Mitch Hallstrom joined first-round picks Anthony Barr and Teddy Bridgewater - as well as a host of other draftees and invited players - as the only invitees from the NCAA Division III level at the Vikings Rookie Camp. And though they were thrown into the fire against some extremely talented competition, both came away from their first professional experience with the discovery that they could more than hold their own.

"It was awesome being there with those guys," said Mathis, who was a two-time All-American linebacker at Bethel. "It was great to take the field with guys you see playing on TV on Saturday nights after the MIAC games are over, and to find out that you're just as good, if not better than some of them. As soon as I got there, I found out I could compete."

"Once we started playing, it was cool for me to see that I could keep up with these guys with big names that you see on ESPN," added Hallstrom, who starred at wide receiver for the Royals. "It was pretty intimidating at first, but once we started playing, we were just playing football, and I was able to realize I was just as big and just as fast as these guys."

Hallstrom is an Eden Prairie, Minn., native, which is also the home to the Vikings' practice facility. He grew up a Vikings fan, so to be able to put on  the team's uniform in his hometown was quite the dream come true. "I was focused on playing well and trying to be in the moment, but I couldn't block it out completely," he said. "To be in Eden Prairie, playing for a team I've loved, being in the purple jersey was incredible, and it was even cooler for my family."

Seth Mathis graduates as Bethel's all-time leading tackler. (Photo courtesy of Bethel Sports Information)

Though Mathis also hails from the Twin Cities, the Anoka, Minn., native was raised a Green Bay Packers fan. Putting on a Vikings uniform was a slightly different sensation, but the opportunity to participate in an NFL rookie camp and take a shot at his dreams trumped any fan allegiances.

 "I grew up a Packers fan, so it was definitely a little bit hard to put that purple and gold on," Mathis said with a laugh. "Now there's pictures surfacing on Facebook with me in a Vikings uniform and I don't know how much I like that, but I'd play anywhere I got an opportunity. The Vikings are a great organization and my experience with them has been awesome - I have nothing but great things to say."

Anyone familiar with the Bethel football program wouldn't be surprised that this duo entered their first professional opportunity with confidence, after their stellar careers in blue and gold. During their four years with the Royals, Bethel went 41-8 (.837) and finished in the top two in the MIAC in all four seasons with a 27-5 (.844) conference record. They helped the team qualify for the NCAA Division III Football Playoffs three times, and they advanced to the second round, quarterfinals and semifinals in their three trips to the tourney.

The fall of 2013 - senior season for both Mathis and Hallstrom - was a tremendous final chapter to their careers. They helped Bethel win the MIAC championship with a perfect 8-0 record, and the Royals ran the table for an undefeated 10-0 regular season. They were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and hosted the first three rounds, winning first- and second-round games before bowing out in the quarterfinals.

"These guys have considerable gifts and have always worked hard for us as a team first instead of for their own benefit," said Bethel Head Coach Steve Johnson. "They know that if you do the work, winning takes care of itself and so do your stats and your accolades. These guys have grown to be leaders, and it really happened for them over the course of their four years."

The duo's individual stats and accolades did certainly pile up in addition to their team success. Mathis is Bethel's all-time leader in tackles with 361 to go along with 11 interceptions, six forced fumbles and 3.5 sacks. His performance resulted in three All-MIAC selections and two AFCA All-American honors. Hallstrom was a two-time All-MIAC wideout and a d3football.com Third Team All-American after racking up 171 catches for 2,226 yards and 12 touchdowns over his final two seasons. He owns Bethel's single-season and career records for receptions, as well as the program's single-season receiving yardage record.

Mitch Hallstrom graduates with several school records. (Photo courtesy of Bethel Sports Information)

"Making plays became a way of life for both of those guys," Johnson said. "Seth has two-and-a-half years of incredible film. He can run, he's physical, he's a smart player. Mitch has hands that are freakish. He had a three-fingered catch against Concordia and some other unbelievable catches. He did it every day in practice; he catches everything."

This marks the third-straight year Bethel has had a player invited to Vikings Rookie Camp, as Mitch Elliott was invited in 2012, and Cory Svihla attended in 2013. Johnson said that while the NFL or playing professionally certainly isn't the goal of his program, or a common goal at the Division III level, it's definitely a nice added benefit to see players who worked so hard for him get recognized for their abilities and work ethic by the sport's top talent evaluators.

"[Mathis and Hallstrom] have done all the things you ask and they've produced, so it's was really cool for them [to get invited to camp]," Johnson said. "The opportunity to put on an NFL helmet that you didn't buy at Wal-Mart - the Vikings actually gave you that helmet - is a pretty cool deal."

Perhaps the biggest transition from college star to NFL hopeful is all the uncertainly. Both worked out feverishly in the four months between the conclusion of their senior season and the NFL draft while their agents worked on their behalf to get their names, stats and game film in front of as many scouts and team personnel as possible. That hard work was validated when the Vikings called with an invitation.

"It was pretty surreal," Hallstrom said of receiving the invite to camp. "It's been a long process between the pro days and combine things, and working out to get in the best shape I could, not knowing if anything would happen. I got a call from my agent saying the Vikings wanted me to come, and then they called me the next day and that's when it really hit me. The nerves kicked in a little, but I was like, 'Alright, here we go.'"

"It was a great feeling," said Mathis," like a door had been opened, and now you want to get in there and shut it."

Mathis is listed at 6-3, 240 pounds, and starred at inside linebacker for Bethel throughout his career, and Hallstrom was a consistent playmaker at wide receiver, with a 6-2, 211-pound frame. By NFL standards, Hallstrom measures up favorably, while Mathis is considered slightly undersized, but both were pleased with how they stacked up physically and athletically at their first professional opportunity. However, the increased emphasis on the mental side of the game, and the size of the playbook they had to learn in short order, made them realize they were at a new level.

Mitch Hallstrom impressed with his hands at Rookie Camp. (Photo courtesy of Andy Kenutis, Minnesota Vikings)

"Physically, I was fine," Hallstrom said. "I'm in pretty good shape and I could keep up, but mentally they really throw you into the fire. It was a whole different animal to get in here and get an NFL playbook. Every little thing matters. You have to sharp on your routes, your splits, where you line up, and if something happens [during a play] you have to be ready with the correct reaction."

"I got to the hotel Thursday night around 8:30 p.m.," Mathis added, "and I was up until 2 a.m. just trying to figure out the day one install [of plays and schemes]. It was two inches thick with plays we had to know by 6 a.m. the next morning. You really had to dig in and study."

All the preparation - working out leading up to the camp and doing their homework during it - paid off on the field for the Bethel pair. Mathis had the added adjustment of moving from inside to outside linebacker, but handled the transition well and was pleased with how he played ... even if it took a wake-up call on his first snap.

"They called the morning practice a 'jog through,' but I found out the hard way they aren't really jog throughs," Mathis said. "An offensive lineman drove me back about 15 yards."

Hallstrom went in hoping to show off his best asset - his hands - and felt like he succeeded as well. "I never dropped a ball all camp and I felt like I played really well," he said.

Though the names Mathis and Hallstrom are certainly familiar to Bethel and MIAC fans, there were a few bigger names from a national perspective. Barr - a linebacker from UCLA - was the Vikings first selection in the draft, No. 9 overall, and the team also traded back into the first round to select Bridgewater, the Louisville quarterback who was a Heisman Trophy contender and was ranked as the draft's top prospect during various stages of the pre-draft speculation. With their positional alignments, Mathis and Hallstrom found themselves front and center with the two players that have Vikings fans excited about the future.

"A few days before camp I was playing catch with a friend of mine and he said, 'Do you realize you'll be catching passes from Teddy Bridgewater?'" Hallstrom said. "It's a crazy thing. To have him be my QB for a few days, I'll never forget that and will always be reminded when I see him on TV. My first catch from him was really memorable. To be going up against a draft-pick corner and catch a pass from a first-round quarterback was really cool."

Mathis said he appreciated the chance to be in a star-studded linebacker group and aim to make a name for himself amidst so many other big names, but he was eager to prove himself against such elite competition, and his most memorable moment also came on a pass from Bridgewater.

Seth Mathis performed well in a talented group of linebackers. (Photo courtesy of Andy Kenutis, Minnesota Vikings)

"In our linebacker group we had Anthony Barr, an All-American from Virginia Tech and a guy who had played for the [Jacksonville] Jaguars," Mathis said. "It was my first time being around someone worth 16 million dollars, so that was kinda cool, but I went in there with the mentality that being star struck won't help me at all. It will probably hit me a little later when you see those guys playing on Sunday.

"I picked off Bridgewater, though, that was nice. The running back did a little slant route and I jumped under it and picked him off. That was cool."

Since they line up on different sides of the ball, Hallstrom and Mathis didn't have many opportunities to interact during practices, but they both said having a teammate and a friend there to share the experience during meals and breaks made it even more worthwhile. The built-in support system helped both stay focused while cherishing their opportunity.

"It's a business and everyone there is looking out for themselves, going in to get a job," Mathis said. "There weren't a ton of people who talked to each other, but I felt like I wasn't on my own. It was so cool to experience it with Mitch, and it was great to be able to talk to someone and have dialogue about how the weekend was going."

"Anytime we had breaks or when we had meals we always sat together and talked about how practice went, how it was going, and about appreciating the opportunity we were getting," Hallstrom added. "To be out there the last four years together at Bethel, and then to go to Vikings camp together was super cool."

After the final snap of their first professional tryout, Mathis and Hallstrom both got great feedback and encouragement from the team. However, neither received what they ultimately hoped for - a contract - so now they'll go back to their state of football purgatory, working out and hoping for a chance while their agents work the phones. The only difference now is their workouts will be fueled by the optimism that they can compete at the highest level.

"One of their scouts called my agent and said I was a little undersized but he said I did great," Mathis said. "He said I had an awesome camp and they weren't really expecting the performance I had, but they said they couldn't take a chance on me at this time. It wasn't any bad feedback and it was nice knowing I deserved to be mentioned with the guys they signed."

"They said they liked me and to keep working out," Hallstrom said of his feedback. "I'm not going to get signed now, but they said if something happens they know what I can do and they've got my number."

Now the two will continue training while hoping for another NFL invite - this time to the upcoming organized team activities (OTAs) or even preseason training camp, which begins in July. They're also exploring other options to play professionally in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

Both graduate from Bethel on Saturday, and if they don't get a contract to continue playing the sport they love, it will still play a part in their future. Hallstrom is receiving a Business Marketing degree, and said he's hoping to get into marketing or sales -both fields where he can fuel his competitive nature. And Mathis wants to stay in the game no matter what, even if means transitioning from player to coach.

"The game of football has given a lot to me, and I'd love to give back through coaching," Mathis said. "It's an awesome game and it's been a blessing to play in the MIAC and at Bethel and I'd like to give back to the game."

Regardless of what comes next, both Mathis and Hallstrom are proud of what they've achieved on the field, both at Bethel, and in earning an opportunity to get a look at the highest level of the sport. They both felt a great sense of pride representing their school, their conference and their Division, and will continue to the carry the flag for small-college players with dreams of getting a shot on the big stage.

"That was a huge part of the inspiration for doing this," Mathis said. "Being a D-III guy and a MIAC guy, going into a professional training camp, that's a huge opportunity. It's the real deal. The MIAC prepared me a ton for what I experienced this past weekend, and now I want to be that guy that came from D-III and got a shot."

"It was cool not only for us, but for Bethel and the MIAC and Division III because we know we were getting a pretty rare opportunity," Hallstrom said. "I felt like being there and playing well was a cool experience for everybody we were representing."