ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – A pair of Bethel University All-American football players are getting a shot at the highest level of professional football as Kyle Kilgore and Dawson Brown will be attending rookie minicamp with the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons respectively. Kilgore, a defensive end, and Brown, a strong safety, where stalwarts on the Bethel defense that helped lead the Royals to an Elite 8 appearance and No. 6/7 rankings in the final polls for NCAA DIII football in 2018.
 
Rookie minicamps give first year players a chance to get acquainted with their NFL teams and their first taste of NFL life before the veterans come in and it also gives the teams an opportunity to host undrafted players, such as Kilgore and Brown, for a tryout with the team. The pair are the sixth and seventh Bethel football players to attend a rookie minicamp or training camp of NFL teams. Most recently linebacker Seth Mathis and wide receiver Mitch Hallstrom participated in rookie minicamp with the Vikings in 2014.
 
Kilgore will be attending the Vikings minicamp to be held this weekend at their brand new, state-of-the-art facility, the TCO Performance Center, in Eagan, Minnesota. He is scheduled to arrive to camp on Thursday afternoon with Friday, Saturday and Sunday consisting of meetings, two-a-day practices and film sessions.
 
"My goal is to compete, turn some heads, and make the team," Kilgore said. "I am grateful to have the opportunity to put on the purple and am excited to play football again. I've always been a big Vikings fan and this is a dream come true!"
 
Kilgore won a plethora of awards during his senior season as a defensive end which was highlighted by a pair of All-America selections and being named to the AFCA All-State Good Works Team. Kilgore was at his best against the top competition during his career with the Royals which was evident in Bethel's final four games in 2018. In the regular season finale against St. Thomas and the Royals three NCAA Playoff games, Kilgore totaled seven and a half sacks, an incredible 20 solo tackles and 28 total tackles, to go along with nine and a half tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a pass breakup and a blocked punt.
 
"Kyle became one of the best edge rushers in the country at our level and it was fun to see how he transformed both on the field and as a man over his time at Bethel," said Bethel defensive coordinator Mike McElroy.
 
Dawson Brown had multiple teams offer him the opportunity to attend their rookie minicamp in the Cincinnati Bengals, New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons. Brown chose the Falcons as the defensive scheme run in Atlanta was the most similar to what is run by Bethel and a position that he is most comfortable with. Brown earned MIAC All-Conference honors as an outside linebacker after his sophomore season before switching to strong safety where he was again an All-Conference pick and also an AFCA First Team All-American. Brown picked off six passes in 2018 and returned three of them for touchdowns.
 
"Dawson has been a staple of this program for the past four years," coach McElroy said. "He's a guy with a tremendous heart and a great work ethic. Dawson played multiple positions at Bethel and moves so well for his size. It will be fun to see him compete for the Falcons." 
 
The Falcons camp will take place next weekend on May 10-12 at their facility in Flowery Branch, Georgia. Brown will fly down to Atlanta next Thursday.
 
"The obvious goal is to showcase my ability on and off the field," Brown said. "To do this, mastering the playbook will be a priority when I arrive. My ultimate goal, not only in this camp but in life, is to make much of Christ and that is what I hope to do by the way I act, learn and compete that weekend."
 
Brown and Kilgore have been training together since the Royals season came to a close at the East Metro location of ETS Performance. ETS is run by Ryan Englebert who trained current Viking Adam Thielen after his senior year of college. Thielen's own rise to NFL stardom started when he was invited to the Vikings rookie minicamp after his career at MSU-Mankato. Thielen is also now a partner at ETS Performance.
 
Kilgore has bulked up to around 255 pounds, adding more than 20 pounds since the end of the season, through his hard work and eating 5,000 calories a day while also gaining speed during the process. Brown ran a 4.6 second 40-yard dash and weighed in at 223 pounds, measurables that rank very well with current NFL strong safeties.    
 
"I've been blessed enough to be able to have Kyle as my workout partner and someone to push me," Brown commented.
 
Both attended the NSIC combine where they tested all their measurables such as 40-yard dash time, bench press and shuttle run along with weight, arm length and hand size among others.
 
"After the combine we have been preparing for just the opportunity we have in front of us, a rookie minicamp," said Kilgore. "My body, mind and heart are prepared!"
 
Bethel head coach Steve Johnson shared his thoughts on Kilgore and Brown:
"Killer is a relentless competitor who really "gets" the game. His ability to use lean and leverage to get to the quarterback is uncanny. Hopefully he gets a chance to show the skills he's developed. Humility and diligence allow him to soar above what is normal and makes him a great teammate. Dawson is as instinctive a player as I've ever seen. He raises the level of everyone around him. Teams have to account for him on every down. He is detailed as a technician, but makes big plays consistently. Most of his picks turn into touchdowns. He is a force on special teams blocking numerous punts and also covering kicks."