Quickness is Percy Harvin's game. Always has been.

So maybe no one should be surprised at how quickly he made the transition from being a productive all-around player in an unconventional college offense to being a productive all-around player in a more conventional pro offense.

But we can't help be a little surprised as Harvin and the Minnesota Vikings prepare to play the Dallas Cowboys today in Minneapolis in a divisional playoff game.

If the 21 teams that picked ahead of the Vikings in the April draft knew Harvin would be such a quick contributor and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, they might have selected him before the Vikings ever had a chance.

Never was there a question about Harvin's talent. But, given his history, there were questions about his coachability and his willingness to walk the straight and narrow.

If Harvin has been anything but a model rookie, the Vikings have done a fine job of hiding it. They have praised him for his study habits, his work ethic and the way he quietly has gone about doing what has been asked of him.

It was evident in training camp that Harvin would make a quick impact. He credits his teammates for helping him acclimate.

Harvin said his training camp battles with cornerback Antoine Winfield were educational.

"A lot of times when he guarded me, I just asked what things he looked at and what tendencies he saw in my routes that helped him out," Harvin said in a recent conference call. "When I went into the season, I already knew I could play. Just learning the defenses was a big key for me."

As for Brett Favre, Harvin said the quarterback taught him how to be a professional.

"During the week, it's not so much practicing as mental," he said of how Favre helped him. "Looking at film, looking at the tendencies of the defense, learning the defenses and what blitzes they are going to use. When we came out and saw those blitzes, we knew exactly what the checks were going to be."

Regardless of Favre's influence, Harvin has shown a significant capacity to retain and grow.

"I'm sure Brett Favre deserves some credit for working with him and putting the ball where he needs it to be, but I am very surprised he looks as refined as he does this early," NFL Network analyst Tom Waddle said. "He is further along than I thought he would be."

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said Harvin has continued to improve throughout the season.

"The longer he's in it, the more he understands," Bevell said. "Brett can give him a look or talk to him, and he makes an adjustment. Sometimes a young guy says, 'This is what I'm supposed to do.' But he has confidence in Brett to make adjustments. He has a great feel for the game, an innate ability."

It would have been impressive enough if Harvin had come in and contributed at one position, but he has done much more than that. He has lined up at multiple receiver positions and has 60 catches for 790 yards and six touchdowns.

He also has lined up as a running back (15 carries for 135 yards) and even as a Wildcat quarterback.

It was his work as a kick returner that secured him a Pro Bowl invitation, as he averaged 27.5 yards per return and took back two kickoffs for touchdowns.

Only one player in the NFC, the St. Louis Rams' Danny Amendola (2,302), had more all-purpose yards than Harvin's 2,081.