In the leadup to the 2024 NFL Draft, Vikings.com is taking a look at prospects who have garnered a range of attention from national outlets. The series will include rankings by those national outlets, stats and background information for multiple prospects.
Vikings status at defensive line
Six different defensive linemen started at least one game for the Vikings during the 2023 campaign, and just three of those have returned for the 2024 season.
In a season where "next man up" became the mantra, Minnesota's most durable contributor on the line's interior was Harrison Phillips, who returned for his second campaign in purple. Phillips started all 17 games for the Vikings and helped anchor a front in its first season under Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores.
Phillips is returning for a third season in Purple, having played 1,533 defensive snaps over the past two seasons.
The Vikings re-signed Jonathan Bullard, a lineman who's been somewhat of a journeyman over the past four seasons but is looking forward to his third straight with Minnesota. Bullard started a career-high 14 of 17 games in 2023.
The only other returning defensive lineman from last season's roster is 2023 draft pick Jaquelin Roy, who appeared in 12 games and made one start.
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The Vikings added veteran linemen Jerry Tillery, Jonah Williams and Jihad Ward as free agents last month. Tillery originally was a first-round draft pick in 2019 by the Chargers and has played 79 career games, including 39 starts.
Williams got his NFL start in 2020 as an undrafted free agent with the Rams, whom he's played with the past three seasons – including in 2021 when he overlapped in Los Angeles with Kevin O'Connell.
Ward has started 35 of the 102 NFL games he's played for the Raiders, Colts, Ravens, Jaguars and Giants.
The Vikings could add to the defensive line through the draft.
View home and away photos of the Vikings 2024 regular season opponents.
Vikings vs. Bears
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Seahawks
Lumen Field
Vikings vs. Lions
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Titans
Nissan Stadium
Vikings vs. Packers
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Bears
Soldier Field
Vikings vs. 49ers
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Giants
MetLife Stadium
Vikings vs. Falcons
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Lions
Ford Field
Vikings vs. Texans
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Packers
Lambeau Field
Vikings vs. Cardinals
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Rams
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings vs. Colts
U.S. Bank Stadium
Vikings at Jaguars
EverBank Stadium
Vikings vs. Jets
U.S. Bank Stadium
Expert rankings
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah currently has four interior defensive linemen in his Top 50: 19. Byron Murphy II, 32. Jer'Zhan Newton, 37. Braden Fiske, 50. Maason Smith.
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has just one interior defensive lineman in his overall Top 25: 24. Murphy II.
Rankings for interior defensive linemen by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below.
Prospects
Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).
School: Texas | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-0 1/2 | Wt: 297 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT1 (Defensive Tackle)
Bucky Brooks: DT2
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT1
Pro Football Focus: DI1 (Defensive Interior)
Dane Brugler: DT1
2023 stats: 14 games; 29 tackles (13 solo), 5.0 sacks, 8.5 TFL
Got in the end zone: During his junior season at Texas, his first as a full-time starter, Murphy became the first Longhorns offensive or defensive lineman with multiple offensive touchdowns. He scored a 1-yard receiving TD against Wyoming and a 1-yard rushing touchdown against Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
School: Illinois | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-2| Wt: 304 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT2
Bucky Brooks: DT1
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT4
Pro Football Focus: DI2
Dane Brugler: DT2
2023 stats: 12 games; 52 tackles (26 solo), 7.5 sacks, 8.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 4 blocked kicks
Motorhead: Newton, the 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a two-time All-American, has a passion for cars and plans to design and build them following his football career.
School: Texas | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 ½ | Wt: 366 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 50 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: DT5
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT3
Pro Football Focus: DI7
Dane Brugler: DT10
2023 stats: 14 games; 45 tackles (18 solo), 2.0 sacks, 8 TFL, 4 PBU, 1 blocked kick
Super senior standout: Sweat played five seasons for the Longhorns, racking up the accolades during his final campaign. He was named the 2023 Outland Trophy winner, as well as earning unanimous First-Team All-America honors and being named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year by The Associated Press and conference coaches. He also caught a 2-yard touchdown pass against Oklahoma State.
School: Michigan | Year: R-Junior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 299 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 50 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: DT3
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT5
Pro Football Focus: DI5
Dane Brugler: DT3
2023 stats: 15 games; 36 tackles (17 solo), 1 INT, 2.0 sacks, 4 TFL, 1 FR
In his blood: Jenkins is the son of former NFL defensive lineman Kris Jenkins, a second-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2001. The elder Jenkins played 108 games (102 starts) for Carolina, earning four Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro designations (2002-03). His brother Cullen Jenkins also played DT and was signed in 2004 as an undrafted free agent by the Packers; Cullen went on to play 13 seasons in the NFL.
School: Florida State (after Western Michigan) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 292 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT3
Bucky Brooks: Not Ranked (in Top 6 DT prospects)
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT2
Pro Football Focus: DI3
Dane Brugler: DT7
2023 stats: 13 games; 43 tackles (17 solo), 6.0 sacks, 9 TFL
Before FSU: Fiske played for five seasons at Western Michigan before transferring, starting 31 of 45 games from 2018-22. He totaled 148 tackles, including 27.5 for loss with 13.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. He also blocked a kick. In 2022, Fiske was named Second-Team All-MAC after racking up 58 tackles that included 12 for loss with 6.0 sacks.
School: Clemson | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 294 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 50 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: Not Ranked (in Top 6 DT prospects)
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT6
Pro Football Focus: DI4
Dane Brugler: DT4
2023 stats: 12 games; 25 tackles (13 solo), 5.0 sacks, 8 TFL, 1 PBU
Academic all-star: Orhorhoro (prounced Oh-roh-roh-roh) earned his degree in sociology in May 2022 and received a master's in athletic leadership in December 2023. During his time at Clemson, he completed micro-internships with Synnex (2019) and Adobe (2022), and he was a two-time ACC Honor Roll honoree (2020 and 2022).
School: LSU | Year: R-Soph. | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 306 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: DT4
Bucky Brooks: Not Ranked (among Top 6 DT prospects)
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT8
Pro Football Focus: Not Ranked (among Top 100 overall prospects)
Dane Brugler: DT6
2023 stats: 12 games; 28 tackles (9 solo), 2.5 sacks, 4.5 TFL, 2 PBU
1st with 0: Smith enrolled at LSU early and took part in spring practice prior to his 2021 freshman season; he became the first player in school history to wear the No. 0.
School: Ohio State | Year: R-Soph. | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 290 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 50 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: Not Ranked (in Top 6 DT prospects)
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DT7
Pro Football Focus: DI8
Dane Brugler: DT11
2023 stats: 12 games; 24 tackles (9 solo), 1.5 sacks, 2 TFL
First-time dad: Hall welcomed a son, Michael Hall III (nicknamed Trey), on Sept. 15, 2023. He noted that becoming a father changed his perspective on declaring for the NFL Draft and providing for his family. Following his Ohio State Pro Day in March, Hall participated in media interviews while holding Trey.
Vikings status at outside linebacker
The Vikings outside linebackers room will look quite a bit different in 2024.
Danielle Hunter shined for the position last season, posting numerous career statistical highs on the way to earning his fourth career Pro Bowl of his career. He also was named to the Professional Football Writers Association's All-NFC Team.
Hunter departed in free agency, though, returning to his hometown of Houston and signing with the Texans last month. Marcus Davenport (Lions) and D.J. Wonnum (Panthers) also joined other teams as free agents.
Minnesota made two splash free agent signings early in the new league year, adding former Texans edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and former Dolphin Andrew Van Ginkel – who overlapped in Miami with Flores.
The Vikings returned Pat Jones II, who filled in for an injured Wonnum last season and played more than 50 defensive snaps in each of the final three games. Week 16 was the first time the 2021 third-round pick had exceeded that snap count, and he recorded six tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack against Detroit.
Andre Carter II, who joined the Vikings as an undrafted rookie in 2023, is prepping for his second pro season.
Expert rankings
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah listed six edge rushers in his overall Top 50: 12. Dallas Turner, 14. Jared Verse, 16. Laiatu Latu, 21. Chop Robinson, 39. Darius Robinson and 46. Marshawn Kneeland.
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr., has three edge rushers – which he classified separately as outside linebackers or defensive ends) in his Top 25: 10. Turner (OLB), 12. Latu (OLB) and 20. Verse (DE).
Rankings for outside linebackers by Jeremiah, his NFL Media counterpart Bucky Brooks, Kiper, analytics site Pro Football Focus and The Athletic's Dane Brugler are listed below.
Prospects
Note: Heights and weights are from each player's profile on NFL.com (linked for each player's name).
School: Alabama | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 247 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE1
Bucky Brooks: EDGE1
Mel Kiper, Jr.: OLB1
Pro Football Focus: EDGE1
Dane Brugler: EDGE1
2023 stats: 14 games; 53 tackles (28 solo), 11 sacks, 15.5 TFL, 2 FF, 13 QB hits
High school success: Turner attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and helped the football team to back-to-back Florida 7A State Championships, as well as the High School National Championship in 2019. He was selected to the All-American Bowl and the Under Armour All-America Game.
School: Florida State (after Albany) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-4 | Wt: 254 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE2
Bucky Brooks: EDGE3
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DE1
Pro Football Focus: EDGE2
Dane Brugler: EDGE2
2023 stats: 13 games; 41 tackles (23 solo), 9.0 sacks, 12.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 11 QB hits
Has some burst: Verse was a three-sport athlete at Central Columbia High School (Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania), playing football (defensive line and tight end) and basketball and running track. As a senior, he was part of a State Championship 4x400 relay team.
School: UCLA (after Washington) | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 259 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE3
Bucky Brooks: EDGE2
Mel Kiper, Jr.: OLB2
Pro Football Focus: EDGE3
Dane Brugler: EDGE3
2023 stats: 12 games; 49 tackles (28 solo), 2 INT, 13 sacks, 21.5 TFL, 2 FF, 2 PD, 10 QB hits
Destined for big things? Latu was highly touted by NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, who said "everything about Latu's skill set and production is translatable to the NFL" and noted that Latu "could become a Pro Bowler as a 3-4 outside linebacker with a heavy influence on the game."
School: Penn State (after Maryland) | Year: Junior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 254 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE4
Bucky Brooks: EDGE4
Mel Kiper, Jr.: OLB3
Pro Football Focus: EDGE5
Dane Brugler: EDGE4
2023 stats: 10 games; 15 tackles (10 solo), 4.0 sacks, 7.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 PBU
Nickname that stuck: Robinson's legal first name is Demeioun, but he was nicknamed "Pork Chop" when he was born weighing 11 pounds. The name was shortened to just "Chop" as he got older.
[Darius Robinson pic]
School: Missouri | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-5 | Wt: 285 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE5
Bucky Brooks: DT4
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DE2
Pro Football Focus: EDGE6
Dane Brugler: EDGE6
2023 stats: 12 games; 43 tackles (29 solo), 8.5 sacks, 14 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR, 6 QB hits
Late start: Robinson didn't play organized football until he was a junior in high school. The Michigan native primarily focused on basketball and attended Canton Prep for his first two years of high school before transferring to Canton High School to focus on football. As a senior, he helped guide Canton to a state playoff appearance. He played defensive tackle, outside linebacker and tight end.
School: Alabama | Year: R-Junior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 251 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 100 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: EDGE6 (Brooks designated as "keep an eye on")
Mel Kiper, Jr.: OLB4
Pro Football Focus: EDGE4
Dane Brugler: EDGE8
2023 stats: 14 games; 42 tackles (16 solo), 1 INT, 8.0 sacks, 10.5 TFL, 3 FF, 1 PBU, 5 QB hits
Also played special teams: Braswell contributed on special teams for Alabama, as well. He blocked a punt – that was then returned for a touchdown – and a field goal during his collegiate career.
[Trice pic]
School: Washington| Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 1/2 | Wt: 245 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: Not Ranked (in Top 100 overall prospects)
Bucky Brooks: EDGE5
Mel Kiper, Jr.: OLB6
Pro Football Focus: EDGE10
Dane Brugler: EDGE10
2023 stats: 15 games; 49 tackles (30 solo), 7.0 sacks, 11.5 TFL, 1 FF, 2 PBU
Popped the question: Trice proposed to his fiancée, Ariana, in December 2023.
[Kneeland pic]
School: Western Michigan | Year: Senior | Ht: 6-foot-3 | Wt: 267 pounds
Experts' Position Rankings
Daniel Jeremiah: EDGE6
Bucky Brooks: Not Ranked (among Top 6 EDGE prospects)
Mel Kiper, Jr.: DE5
Pro Football Focus: EDGE9
Dane Brugler: EDGE5
2023 stats: 10 games; 57 tackles (29 solo), 4.5 sacks, 7.5 TFL, 2 FF, 1 safety, 8 QB hits, a 1-yard rushing touchdown
Combine top performer: Kneeland logged the fastest time among edge rushers in the 3-cone drill (7.02 seconds) in this year's NFL Scouting Combine. He placed fifth among edge rushers in the bench press with 21 reps of 225 pounds.
