EDWARDSVILLE - Former Edwardsville High football kicker Riley Patterson signed a free agent contract on Saturday with the Minnesota Vikings shortly after the conclusion of the National Football League Draft after going unselected during the three-day draft held in Cleveland.
Patterson was a successful kicker for the University of Memphis, going 15-for-22 in field goals last season in helping the Tigers to an 8-3 record and a win in the Montgomery Bowl 25-10 over Florida Atlantic on Dec. 23 in Montgomery, Ala.
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His longest field goal was of 56 yards, and also went 36-of-37 in conversion attempts in 2020. In his four years at Memphis, Patterson was 64-of-83 in field goals attempts, his best year being 2019, when he was 23-of-25. He only missed six conversion kicks in his career, going 240-for-246.
Patterson is the second consecutive former Tigers player to sign a free agent contract, joining Nick Kaltmayer, who signed with the Miami Dolphins after the 2020 draft. Another former Tiger, A.J. Epenesa, was drafted in the second round by the Buffalo Bills, playing a part in the Bills' advance to last years AFC Championship Game, where Buffalo lost to the then-defending champion Kansas City Chiefs.
Patterson is a 2017 graduate of Edwardsville High School, and is expected to join the Vikings for their activities and minicamps leading to training camp this July.
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