Tuesday June 30, 2009

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) -- The Minnesota Vikings have signed fifth-round draft pick Jasper Brinkley.

Brinkley is a linebacker from South Carolina. He received second-team All-SEC honors last year after recording 65 tackles with the Gamecocks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed on Tuesday.

Brinkley is expected to compete for time as a backup linebacker and be a big contributor on special teams. The Vikings like to use linebackers on special teams because of their combination of size and athleticism.

Brinkley is the second draft pick of the team's five-player 2009 class to sign a contract. The Vikings have also signed seventh-round pick Jamarca Sanford, a safety.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)