Sep 14, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
The 2023 Minnesota Vikings produced some cool breakout stories. Safety Josh Metellus emerged as one of the top players on the team under the guidance of defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The coach also helped undrafted rookie Ivan Pace to play major snaps and shine in his debut season. Who could follow them and repeat their success in the upcoming campaign?
3 Sneaky Vikings Breakout Candidates
The list is not supposed to show players who might improve in 2024 but have already had huge roles. It will consist of backups and players who have a chance to explode out of nowhere.
1. Jaquelin Roy
Nov 26, 2022; College Station, Texas, USA; LSU Tigers defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy (99) in action during the game between the Texas A&M Aggies and the LSU Tigers at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The defensive tackle was a fifth-round draft pick in 2023 and entered an underwhelming defensive line rotation following the exit of Dalvin Tomlinson. Besides Harrison Phillips, the Vikings lacked established players and difference-makers up front. The bad news for the Vikings, but perhaps good news for Jaquelin Roy, is that they failed to add someone like that in the offseason.
That opens the door for the former LSU defender to earn a significant role. His competition is ex-first-rounder Jerry Tillery and returning starter Jonathan Bullard. The duo can hardly be considered unbeatable.
After clarifying that it’s pretty easy to play snaps on the defensive line, we need to find out whether he has the talent to rise.
The 141st pick played in 12 games and 96 snaps on defense. He registered eight tackles and one tackle for loss. PFF credited him with two QB hits on 44 pass-rush snaps, and he earned a below-average grade of 58.3. The simple answer is we don’t know yet.
Prior to the draft, analyst Lance Zierlein wrote about the defender: “The more you watch, the more you like the way Roy plays the game. He’s a little tight in his lower body, which prevents consistent gap leverage as a run defender, but he has outstanding upper-body power and plays with unbridled energy. Roy has one-gapping snap quickness and two-gapping potential if he can become more consistent with taking on blocks. Despite limited starting experience at LSU, he already displays signs of a rush plan and the athletic talent to execute it. Roy is an ascending talent with the potential to become a quality starter.”
The fact that he didn’t play more snaps in his rookie season is concerning, but linemen often need time to build a more powerful body to win in the trenches.
His competition is the main reason for him appearing on the list, but he must combine that with improved play.
2. Mekhi Blackmon
Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon (5) intercepts a pass from New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (not pictured) in front of wide receiver Chris Olave (12) during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
A fellow sophomore, Mekhi Blackmon, was the final pick of last year’s third round. Similarly to Roy, he entered a mysterious room without any established players besides Byron Murphy. The Vikings started Akayleb Evans on the opposite side, but Blackmon still played a respectable number of snaps.
He started three of his 15 games and logged 435 snaps on defense, which equaled 43% of the possible reps. Blackmon defended eight passes, caught one interception, and made 43 tackles. PFF credited him with a wonderful defensive grade of 71.8, ranking him fifth on Minnesota’s defense. His tackling was especially outstanding, with a team-high of 90.3.
Receivers caught 28 of 44 passes thrown to them with Blackmon in coverage, and he gave up 285 yards and two touchdowns, resulting in a decent passer rating of 87.8.
Blackmon was a typical rookie cornerback with up-and-down moments, but overall, he made a good impression. Murphy and Evans return for another season, Shaquill Griffin joined the team, and 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth is still there.
However, he has shown some flashes, and if he can build on his solid rookie season, there is no reason why Blackmon can’t develop into a starting cornerback in the upcoming season.
3. Jalen Nailor
Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) celebrates after making a stop against the New England Patriots during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Another open gig is that of departed receiver K.J. Osborn. The wideout left in free agency, leaving a hole behind Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Brandon Powell was last year’s WR4 and stepped up when Jefferson got hurt.
Nailor, meanwhile, was stuck on the depth chart, waiting for a chance to play. His problem at Michigan State and his problem in two seasons with the Vikings have been injuries. A pair of hamstring issues and a concussion late in the year robbed him of last year’s training camp, which led to him tumbling down the depth chart, and his absence limited him to only six games in which he caught three passes for 29 yards.
None of that sounds particularly promising, but there is a catch. Nailor’s breakout game came in 2022 when the Vikings were blown out late in the season at Lambeau Field. In the team’s embarrassing performance, Nailor caught three passes for 89 yards and one touchdown, showing his high-end speed.
He is a physically gifted wideout and has the size and the explosiveness to become a great third option on the outside.
Jan 1, 2023; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor (83) rushes for a touchdown as Green Bay Packers cornerback Corey Ballentine (35) defends during the fourth quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Head coach Kevin O’Connell named him first when he was asked about the WR3 job at OTAs: That third receiver spot is going to be very competitive. There’s a bunch of guys that had really good springs. I mean Jalen Nailor had another really good offseason program. … When he’s healthy and on the field, he shows up every single opportunity he’s gotten. That’s our challenge to him is sometimes things are out of your control and then we understand that, but for him to take that next step, we’re gonna need to see him out there a lot as part of that group.”
That answer pretty much sums up the problem. He must stay healthy, but O’Connell also referred to his talent. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear Nailor’s name appear in many early reports from training camp.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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Publish date : 2024-07-15 21:20:00
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