Vikings Sign Pair of 4-Star Recruits
Janik Eckardt
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Tue undrafted free agent market is a good way to improve the roster without spending a lot of capital. Undrafted rookies don’t cost draft picks, they don’t cost a lot against the salary cap, and there is no risk involved. They either make the team and are a huge bonus, or they get cut.
Historically, the Minnesota Vikings were a good place for undrafted free agents. Some of them went on to become superstars in the NFL.
Past Success with Undrafted Players
John Randle
The best one was undoubtedly John Randle. The undersized defensive tackle tried out for multiple teams, and the Vikings signed him. John Randle used a trick to make the roster. The Vikings told him that he had to weigh at least 250 pounds. His problem is easily explained, as he just weighed 244 pounds.
When he had his weigh-in day, he hid an iron chain under his sweats to be heavier. It worked. He signed a contract with the Vikings and moved on to become one of the most feared players in the league.
The six-time first-team All-Pro was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010. Randle led the Vikings in sacks nine times, including eight straight seasons from 1993 to 2000, and is still 10th on the all-time sack list.
Adam Thielen
His story is well-known. Thielen was born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and he grew up as a Vikings fan. Randy Moss was his favorite player. He attended Detroit Lakes High School and later played college football at Minnesota State. He received a 500 Dollar scholarship to play football for the Division II school. However, he paid the school back with over 2,800 yards and 20 touchdowns during his four-year career.
He did not test at the NFL combine but attended a regional combine where he turned heads. Thielen received an invite to a tryout with the Vikings, and he did well enough to sign a contract. The undrafted free agent was cut and later signed to the practice squad.
Fast forward nine years, the wide receiver had one of the best careers of any undrafted players ever and fulfilled his childhood dream and became a Minnesota Viking. He had four seasons where he eclipsed 900 receiving yards and twice achieved double-digit touchdown numbers. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and holds the NFL record for most consecutive 100 receiving yard games to open the season with eight.
The Vikings try to find the next Adam Thielen and John Randle. Every year they try to find talented players to give them a chance.
Two Four-Star Recruits
Zach McCloud
The Miami Hurricane had multiple pursuers but ultimately signed with the Vikings. His 250,000$ is among the highest guarantees for an undrafted rookie ever.
McCloud is a rare six-year senior. He was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, ranked 172nd in the nation and 11th among outside linebackers per ESPN.
The Florida native chose to accept the offer of Miami over multiple others, including Alabama, Georgia, and Florida, where he started 11 games as a true freshman. McCloud played off-ball linebacker until the 2021 season when he switched to edge rusher, and he finished with five and a half sacks. Overall, McCloud appeared in 59 games in his college career, an unbelievably high number.
His biggest strength is his high motor. He always plays hard and never takes plays off. In addition to that, he has hood athleticism. A 4.68 40-yard dash combined with long arms makes him an intriguing prospect. His experience as an off-ball linebacker allows him to drop into zone coverage. Therefore, he’s a perfect fit in the new 3-4 defense.
All of that doesn’t sound like an undrafted free agent,m but he has some weaknesses. He is not great at diagnosing and reading plays, which leads to mistakes. He is too often not in the right spot to make a play. As an edge rusher, he is still raw, as he just switched to edge rusher one year ago. The mental part and the technique part are two things that are acceptable for 22-year-old rookies but not for someone who turned 24 before the draft. In addition to that, he is undersized, which leads to some plays in which he gets bullied.
The talent is there, and if he can learn some things, he could become a rotational player. The Vikings saw his potential and therefore gave him the guaranteed money. However, he does not have multiple years to prove his worth because of his age.
Luiji Vilain
Just like McCloud, Vilain was a four-star recruit. Per ESPN, he was the 69th best prospect in the country and the sixth-best defensive end. He had offers from most of the top schools and signed with Michigan. The Minnesota Golden Gophers made him an offer, too.
The Canadian redshirted his freshman season and had a season-ending knee injury in his second year on campus. The injury limited him not only in 2018 but also in 2019. In 2020, he still struggled to see the field and transferred to Wake Forest after the season, where he finally managed to showcase his talent. He played 12 games and registered nine tackles for loss and eight sacks.
Transferring because a player doesn’t get on the field is never a good sign. However, even Jameson Williams did it and was the 12th overall pick. Vilain still has untapped potential. He even improved in his only season as a starter. The testing results were pretty good, as his relative athletic score was 8.83.
His scouting reports often include the phrase ‘he flashes.’ That’s the universal sign for a raw but talented player. He has to improve in all areas to make the active roster but has some physical tools.
Both players fight an uphill battle to make the roster, but their four-star background shows their potential. If they can be quick learners, they could push Willekes, Jones, and Robinson for roster spots.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who has a fable for numbers and stats. He chose the Vikings as his favorite team, despite Christian Ponder being the quarterback at the time. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Arguing about the Vikings on Twitter is one of his favorite things to do. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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