In the 2004 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings took USC defensive end Kenechi Udeze with their number 20 overall selection. Udeze was a highly touted prospect, earning All-American honors during three productive years of college football.
Udeze came on to the scene strong. notching 36 tackles, five sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defense in his rookie season. The young man looked to be a reliable cornerstone for the team to build around in the future, continuing to be productive for several more years.
Sadly, his NFL career was cut short in 2008 when he was diagnosed with a form of leukemia.