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A Former South Dakota School of Mines Lineman Is Trying To Earn An NFL Training Camp Invite

Sam Cowan, former SDSM football player

Follow @Nate_WekSDPB

Sam Cowan, a former center for the South Dakota School of Mines football team, is trying to earn an invite to Minnesota Vikings training camp.

Cowan has a workout scheduled for Tuesday with the Vikings, and if the team likes what they see, they’ll invite him to training camp.

In an interview with the Rapid City Journal, he said nobody is pushing his name out there (Cowan has no agent and is currently representing himself), and therefore it's extra rewarding for him to get noticed by the National Football League.

“It's a little victory. Each step is closer to the end goal, so it is nice to keep moving along,” said Cowan. “I wasn't sure if I would get another call or not, so I was just working out and getting ready for my new job.”

Cowan graduated from South Dakota School of Mines with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He says if his NFL dream doesn’t work out, he plans to be a design engineer for John Deere.

Minnesota Vikings training camp begins on Thursday in Mankato.

Nate Wek is currently the sports content producer and sports and rec beat reporter for South Dakota Public Broadcasting. He is a graduate of South Dakota State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism Broadcasting and a minor in Leadership. From 2010-2013 Nate was the Director of Gameday Media for the Sioux Falls Storm (Indoor Football League) football team. He also spent 2012 and 2013 as the News and Sports Director of KSDJ Radio in Brookings, SD. Nate, his wife Sarah, and three sons, Braxan, Jordy, and Anders live in Canton, SD.