MINNEAPOLIS — Rochester's Marcus Sherels closed the preseason with a bang on Thursday and earned an endorsement from Minnesota Vikings coach Leslie Frazier in the process.
If Sherels was on the bubble in terms of making the roster of the Minnesota Vikings this season, the third-year player from Rochester made a definite statement in a 24-23 win over the Tennessee Titans at Mall of America Field.
Sherels returned a kick 109 yards for a touchdown in the second half. Later in the half the cornerback intercepted a pass.
"It seems like every year he comes to camp on the bubble, but then always finds a way to make the team," Frazier said.
Sherels, a John Marshall grad, has been the full-time punt returner for the Vikings the past two seasons. He did not play in the third preseason game due to the death of his father. But he took a big step toward making the team again with his performance Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT
His kickoff return for a touchdown was the longest in team history, although it will not go in the record books because it occurred in a preseason game. He took the ball nine yards deep in the end zone and raced through the Titans untouched all the way to the end zone.
During the 2011 preseason, Sherels intercepted a pass against Seattle, thrown by former Viking quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, and returned it for a touchdown.
Last year during the regular season Sherels had a 77-yard punt return for a touchdown against Detroit. In 2012 he averaged 9.0 yards on 32 punt returns and 26.3 yards on 16 kickoff returns.
