The Inseparable Pair: Vikings Newest Receivers

Almost everyone has that childhood friend that they’ve known all the way back to elementary school. You grew up down the block from each other and played every day together until the porch lights came on. Because of your close proximity, you also went to elementary school, middle school and then eventually high school together. You had the same teachers and the same friends. You even graduated together. Typically, though, that’s where it ends. Not many childhood friends, especially ones you went to grade school with, end up attending the same universities. At some point, you part ways for various reasons and go on without that childhood friend by your side every step of the way.

That is what makes the story of wide receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs so incredibly fascinating.

Childs and Wright first met when they were in elementary school. From there, they went on to have successful high school careers at Warren High School, located in a tiny town with a population of roughly 6,000 people in Arkansas. The two life-long friends didn’t stop there and went on to play together for the Arkansas Razorbacks – both of them having significant roles on the team for four seasons.

Now, while that in itself is pretty amazing, their journey together got downright insane April 28th, 2012 – the third and final day of the NFL Draft.

The Vikings selected Wright with their 23rd pick in the fourth round. The Vikings also selected Childs with their 39th pick in the fourth round.

Now let’s just think about this for a second – a recap of sorts. Wright and Childs went to the same elementary school together. They went to high school together. They went to the University of Arkansas together and started for the Razorbacks. They were drafted in the same round, by the same team and will play in the NFL together… at the same position.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess that the odds of this actually taking place are astronomical.

“I guess you could say that,“ Childs responded when asked about being a package deal with Wright. “I’ve known Jarius Wright since the third grade, so we’ve been cool since then.  We talked about this one day, what if we end up going to the same NFL team.  It would be crazy, we’ve been together through elementary school, middle school, junior high, high school, same college team, and now we are moving on in life and we still are going to the same team together.”

While they’ve done a lot of the same things together, both Jarius Wright and Greg Childs bring a unique skill set to the Minnesota Vikings. Wright, who is a little smaller than Childs, is a quick, explosive receiver who runs routes well and is a threat after the catch. Childs is a bigger guy who has 4.40 speed and can be a down-the-field, vertical threat that stretches the field on the outside. Childs suffered a torn patella tendon in 2010 which significantly hampered his on-field performance and hurt his draft stock. If Childs never suffered that injury, it is likely he could have been a first round prospect coming in to this year’s draft.

It would be pretty spectacular if the two receivers continue to defy the odds and can eventually become starters together in the NFL. What would really make this dream story complete though is if the inseparable pair went on to win the Vikings their first Superbowl together.

Regardless, it’s safe to say that this is hardly “The End” of this fairytale story.

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