UCLA guard Jeff Baca was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round of the NFL draft on Saturday, the Pioneer Press reports.
Baca, at 6-foot-3, 302-pounds, says he can play guard, tackle or center.
“I think I can excel at either position,” he told the newspaper. “I believe I can play all three positions along the offensive line.”
“Baca is a kid from UCLA who has played up and down the line,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said in a statement.”He’s one of the Viking fit type, I know what Jeff Davidson looks for, very tough, competitive kid that has some position flexibility and very excited that he got in the mix.”
The Los Angeles Times says Baca is the first UCLA offensive lineman selected by an NFL team this century.
The Vikings also picked up UCLA punter Jeff Locke in the fifth round, casting doubt on whether the team plans to keep Chris Kluwe.
