Buckle Up: The Andrew Van Ginkel Comparisons Will Go Crazy Due to Recent Vikings News
Andrew Van Ginkel went from being a very good player in Miami to being an elite player in Minnesota. Snagging the next Van Ginkel would therefore be a tidy bit business.
The Vikings are going to do a top 30 visit with Mason Reiger. Ryan Fowler offers the word: “Source: Wisconsin EDGE Mason Reiger has a 30 visit scheduled with the Minnesota Vikings. 6’5”, 250 lbs pass-rusher was named the Defensive MVP of the Shrine game after recording three sacks & a FF. Also had a private workout with New Orleans.”
Prepare for Andrew Van Ginkel Comparisons as Vikings Tip Hand
Consider a side-by-side comparison:
| Andrew Van Ginkel | Mason Reiger |
| College: Wisconsin | College: Wisconsin |
| Position: Edge Rusher | Position: Edge Rusher |
| Size: 6’4″ and 241 Pounds | Size: 6’5″ and 250 Pounds |
| Draft: 5th Round | Draft: TBD but 5th Possible |
Pretty easy to connect the dots, right? The pair of pass rushers play the same position, possess a similar build, and did work at Wisconsin. The veteran went in the 5th. Reiger comes in at 140th overall on PFF, but quite a bit lower elsewhere (315th on CBS, for instance).
On the NFL website, Lance Zierlein digs into the draft prospect.
The analysis: “Reiger is a tall, linear edge rusher with a slender frame. He doesn’t look like a pro pre-snap, but he certainly plays like one after the snap. He lacks the size/anchor to consistently set the edge and can be controlled when tackles latch on, but he’s unusually talented to work off contact for quick wins at the point of attack. He’s a short-striding rusher who takes similar tracks at similar speeds and is more pressure-creator than sack-finisher at this time. However, altering his approach (tempo and angles) and adding a better inside counter could create a bump in his sack production. Reiger needs more mass and refinement but could become a good rotational odd-front edge in time.”
Essentially, there’s some talent in the prospect, though it’s somewhat buried. Giving him time to refine his game would appear wise, making a Day 3 selection — a pick in the 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th — worth the gamble for a team that can be patient.
Keep in mind that Reiger is a tremendous athlete, coming in with a blistering 9.53 RAS Score. Put differently, there’s some evidence to suggest that Reiger is a better athlete than 95% of the players at his position. Van Ginkel, it’s worth noting, is a sensational athlete.
Pretty quietly, the Vikings’ edge rusher spot needs some help.
The possibility remains that Jonathan Greenard gets traded, but that’s not an ironclad outcome. Far from it, in fact. Rallying around Greenard, Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner for 2026 is a good approach. Even better is that Eric Wilson is back, someone who can play edge with some proficiency.
What’s really needed is youth in the pipeline. A promising young fella (or two) who can take on a limited workload while progressing toward becoming a future impact player is what’s needed for 2026 and beyond. A raw, talented option coming out of the 5th would be a nice outcome for the Vikings, especially with Brian Flores having a knack for pushing his edge rushers further in their game.
Last season, Reiger had a total of 33 tackles while seeing 5 sacks and 6 tackles for loss tossed onto the stat sheet. PFF handed out a very healthy 82.4 grade.
Very little is certain about the way the Vikings will attack the 2026 NFL Draft. What is certain, though, is that picking a talent who could resemble Andrew Van Ginkel would be a tremendous outcome.
The Vikings are sitting on the No. 163 pick, which arrives in the 5th.
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