As this is published, the next batch of prospective Vikings are en route from all corners of the country and arriving at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center to try to secure a future as football players.
'Twas the day before Minnesota's 2025 Rookie Minicamp!
Let's get the ball rolling with some names to monitor.
Tyler Forness of A to Z Sports on Wednesday highlighted three players to watch at Minnesota's rookie minicamp, which includes a practice Friday that's open to the media and a closed session on Saturday.
The watchlist touts a draft pick, a signed undrafted free agent and a player competing on a tryout basis.
We'll start with the latter, former Nebraska cornerback Tommi Hill, a native of Orlando, Florida, whom NFL Media's Lance Zierlein projected as a "zone corner with good backup potential and a chance to climb the ranks with more experience. Zierlein added he "plays with excellent route awareness in zone [coverage]."
Forness wrote the following about Hill, who has battled plantar fasciitis:
It was honestly a surprise that Hill wasn't drafted, but considering his injury history with his foot, it can explain things a bit. A former wide receiver, Hill used those ball skills to translate immediately at the college level. What makes this really intriguing is the lack of snaps on the defensive side of the football. Hill has barely surpassed 1,000 snaps, so there is work to be done on the development side. However, his ball skills and route recognition paired with his length are good building blocks.
Hill is listed at 6-foot and 213 pounds. He had 21 tackles and a pick six for the Huskers last season.
The other undrafted participant Forness mentioned is former BYU edge Tyler Batty.
"Batty isn't a high-upside pass rusher at the position, nor is he young at 26 years old, but he plays with a ton of effort and motor," Forness wrote. "His run defense is great, and he can play both standing up and with his hand in the dirt. That kind of versatility is going to be important for Brian Flores' defense."
In 53 college games, Batty posted 224 tackles, including 34 for losses, 16.5 sacks and two interceptions.
Zierlein wrote in Batty's profile that it's unclear if he'll have the requisite physical gifts or skill level to become a "make it" prospect but commended him for his consistent aggression and hustle in pursuit.
Zierlein continued:
"He has some snap in his initial punch but lacks the length and twitch quickness to get away from blocks quickly and will succumb to power from tackles. He creates pressure with hops and Euro steps to gain ground. He has strong hands to discard the punch but won't beat most pro tackles with speed or power."
The last player in Forness' preview is former Georgia defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.
Forness labeled Ingram-Dawkins as a bit of a "tweener" because of his 6-foot-5, 276-pound frame and ability to skillfully play multiple roles along the defensive line. That's in part why he possesses great upside.
The first line of Zierlein's evaluation of Ingram-Dawkins paints a picture of where he stands in his development and why Flores is an ideal coach to unlock his promise.
"He's ready to do it, with the tools to do it, but is still learning how to do it," Zierlein assessed.
PFF breaks down Vikings' picks
Two weeks ago, the NFL Draft commenced, and Minnesota added a handful of players to its 2025 group.
Instant draft grades varied over the internet – some fond and others not of the Vikings five-man haul (technically, they scored six players during the draft after dealing for veteran QB Sam Howell on Day 3).
Now, after a quick breath, Pro Football Focus has assessed Minnesota's decision to fortify protection for presumptive starter J.J. McCarthy, and its operation in spite of limited draft capital.
While PFF's letter grade for the Vikings (C-) is underwhelming, there's several positive takeaways.
In the intro of his article, Mason Cameron noted that 24th overall pick Donovan Jackson received run-blocking marks above the 75th percentile in both zone and gap schemes. He added that late-round linebacker Kobe King earned an 85.0-plus run-defense grade per PFF over each of the past two seasons.
Cameron wrote the following about the club's second selection, Maryland WR Tai Felton (102nd overall):
He profiles well as a rotational/depth receiver in [Vikings Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell's offense, given his feel for finding the soft spots in zone coverage and his ability to force missed tackles after the catch.
Described by Cameron as a "long-striding, linear receiving threat," Felton is coming off a superb final college season in which he churned out career bests in catches (96), yards (1,124) and touchdowns (9). Also, he ledgered his finest PFF receiving grade in a season (80.2) – much improved from 2023's 65.0.
Cameron notably named a rotational college player, Ingram-Dawkins, as the "rookie to watch" on the Vikings due to his outstanding physical tools.
Read all of Cameron's story here.
