Viking Rookies

The Minnesota Vikings have had a terrible start to the 2020 NFL season. A 1-5 start entering their Week 7 bye. Only the truly optimistic sees a post-bye turnaround that earns a postseason shot. Anything’s possible and 10-6, or even 11-5, is one of those possibilities. Who knows? I don’t. I sure didn’t think that a 1-5 start to the season was possible and that happened. There aren’t a lot of positives that can be pried from the Vikings’ 1-5 start. One of the few positives has been the play of rookie receiver Justin Jefferson. He’s played so well that comparisons to Randy Moss’ ridiculous 1998 rookie season have been made. I never thought that I’d see another rookie receiver that could spark memories o Moss. It’s been a small sample of games but Jefferson looks like a special player. 

Justin Jefferson’s numbers:

28 catches

537 yards

3 TDs

And he didn’t start, or see many targets, until Week 3. Considering what he’s done and when he started doing it, Jefferson’s on about an 80-catch, 1500-yard, 12-TD sort of rookie pace. Yes, he’s a bright spot in an otherwise terrible start to the 2020 season. 

Jefferson’s been the top Vikings’ rookie. He hasn’t been the only rookie to play like he belongs in the league. Jeff Gladney and Cameron Dantzler have emerged as the team’s top corners. Each has had some rookie moments but both have shown tremendous potential. I’d take both over the “celebrated” corners that departed from Minnesota in the offseason. I’d take them as rookies. I’d definitely take their potential. Ezra Cleveland got his first NFL start at right guard last week. It was an up and down game for him. I’m hoping that he’ll have the opportunity to build on it moving forward. 

Jefferson, Gladney, Cleveland, and Dantzler were the Vikings’ first four of 15 picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. That was the most picks ever made by a team in a seven-round draft. 

2020 Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks

1. Justin Jefferson

1. Jeff Gladney

2. Ezra Cleveland

3. Cameron Dantzler

4. D.J. Wonnum

4. James Lynch

4. Troy Dye

5. Harrison Hand

5. K.J. Osborn

6. Blake Brandel

6. Josh Metellus

7. Kenny Willekes

7. Nate Stanley

7. Brian Cole

7. Kyle Hinton

Brian Cole is the only one of the 15 not on the Vikings’ roster in some fashion. 

Active Roster

Justin Jefferson

Jeff Gladney

Ezra Cleveland

Cameron Dantzley

D.J. Wonnum

James Lynch

Harrison Hand

K.J. Osborn

Josh Metellus

Practice Squad

Blake Brandel

Nate Stanley

Kyle Hinton

Injured Reserve

Troy Dye

Kenny Willekes

From the undrafted pool the Vikings further supplemented their rookie population with Dan Chisena, Jake Bargas, and Myles Dorn. Chisena is listed as a receiver but made the active roster for his play on special teams. Bargas is on the practice squad as a fullback project. Dorn, a safety, is on injured reserve. 

From the Vikings’ jumbo 15-member draft class they have three players that have already established themselves as starters:

Justin Jefferson 

Jeff Gladney

Cameron Dantzler 

Another that has perhaps started his first of many:

Ezra Cleveland

Thursday’s trade of defensive end Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens might’ve opened up a starting opportunity for a fifth draft pick:

D. J. Wonnum

When healthy, K. J. Osborn is the returner. 

James Lynch, Harrison Hand, Josh Metellus have earned rotational or special teams roles. Lynch could be in line for an even bigger role in the defense. 

It’s been a terrible start to the season. There’s nothing that can be done about that except grow from it. Get better. Start winning games instead of giving them away. Several of the rookies from the Vikings’ 2020 Draft Class will have opportunities to get this season back on track. A few have already shown that they can help the team as rookies. One is already creeping towards star status. I believe that others, Cleveland and Wonnum in particular and possibly Lynch, will join their fellow rookies in helping the Vikings win some games. This season.