By Los Altos High grad selected the Vikings in the second round

Town Crier Staff Report

Willie Howard on Saturday became the first Los Altos High product to be taken in the NFL Draft since 1991.

Howard, a senior at Stanford University, was selected in the second round by the Minnesota Vikings. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle was the 57th pick overall.

The last player from Los Altos High to be drafted was Mike Croel, a linebacker picked in the first round by the Denver Broncos 10 years ago.

Howard joins a pair of former Stanford teammates, linebacker Kailee Wong and receiver Troy Walters, on a Minnesota team that won the NFC Central Division last season and advanced to the NFC Championship game.

“I think this is a great opportunity for me, especially being able to go back and play with Kailee Wong again and Troy Walters,” Howard said in an interview posted on the Vikings’ official Web site. “They can help me fill in and learn the system real well.”

Howard may be asked to play both defensive tackle and end for the Vikings and help make up for the loss of star lineman John Randle, who was released in the off-season for salary cap reasons.

“We’ve had some pretty good players from Stanford, so (drafting Howard) was a natural for us,” Vikings coach Dennis Green said in a statement. “… he plays with the same kind of intensity we really like.”

Howard didn’t miss a game in his four years at Stanford, finishing his college career with 187 tackles and 22 1/2 sacks.