Which Vikings UDFAs will make the team? 20 thoughts on the 20 signings

Sports

add

Six post-draft signings have made the Minnesota Vikings’ roster in the last three years: Ryan Wright, Ivan Pace Jr., Gabriel Murphy, Taki Taimani, Bo Richter and Dwight McGlothern.

General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, head coach Kevin O’Connell and even defensive coordinator Brian Flores have proven they are willing to take talent from anywhere. Agents know this. College coaches do, too. It’s partially why the Vikings can secure as much talent as they do each year after the draft.

As of Wednesday evening, the Vikings had announced 20 undrafted free-agent additions. Which of them has the best chance of making the team? Who are they? Here are thoughts on each of the players, ranked in order from most likely to make the team to least:

One highlight explains this pickup. Arizona State punted to Texas in the first quarter of the Peach Bowl, college football’s game of the year. Bolden backtracked, caught the ball, then housed the return. He is what the Minnesota Vikings have not had since Marcus Sherels: a returner who strikes fear in the opposition. He’ll likely be competing with Rondale Moore for the job, but either should be a massive upgrade from what the Vikings had in Brandon Powell.

SILAS BOLDEN 75-YARD PUNT RETURN TO THE HOUSE‼️ pic.twitter.com/QsW24fqYhg

— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025

One AFC executive said of Batty: “Flores is going to love that guy.” Batty is rugged and relentless. Is he the most explosive? No. Does he have measurables that are going to blow you away? No. But, at 6-foot-5 and 271 pounds, is he capable of causing some commotion up front? Absolutely. One of the more under-the-radar camp competitions is going to play out at edge rusher.

The battle to replace Johnny Mundt will begin soon. In one corner, sixth-round pick Gavin Bartholomew. In the other, Yurosek, who transferred from Stanford to Georgia and didn’t produce the way the Bulldogs hoped. These are similarly sized and comparably skilled prospects. Who will be more impressive throughout the spring and summer?

Chambliss and Batty are both “edge rushers,” but their body types are totally different. Chambliss is lighter and less able to slide inside. Like Batty, Chambliss is a tough son of a gun who will vie for a spot with his intriguing special teams skill set. Neither he nor Batty is the type of player you ever have to worry about in terms of professionalism.

Former draft picks Walter Rouse and Michael Jurgens will have to impress this summer. Why? Because intriguing depth like Brown will be nipping at their heels. Brown was once a five-star recruit, the No. 1 high school tackle in the country. He attended Wisconsin, was booted from the team, landed at Kansas and played well. He’s massive and athletic. Other NFL teams wanted him. He may be a project, but he’s the kind of ball of clay you don’t often stumble upon.

Logan Brown is ANOTHER massive OL prospect with impressive film from Kansas.

His film and career path remind me a lot of Trey Smith, but I think he has a better chance to stick at OT thanks to elite agility testing. pic.twitter.com/mshRFL6sqC

— NFL Draft Files (@NFL_DF) April 22, 2025

In some ways, Huber is the polar opposite of Brown. He was a no-star recruit. His explosiveness metrics and measurables are not off the charts. Like with Batty and Chambliss, this is a bet on makeup and willpower, and it’s one many other teams were willing to make. Huber will most likely be a guard. He was projected by The Athletic’s Dane Brugler to be a fifth- or sixth-round pick, so Jurgens and Rouse will have their hands full.

Oscar Chapman, P, Auburn

Will Alabama kicker Will Reichard be able to get along with an Auburn counterpart? Only time will tell. Chapman, though, a native of Adelaide, Australia, punted for five college seasons. Ninety-four of his punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. He should receive every opportunity to beat out Wright for this job.

Max Brosmer, QB, Minnesota

He is not nearly the athlete J.J. McCarthy is. Nor does his arm have the same kind of juice. But he does have the above-the-neck abilities to keep the ship afloat. Brosmer sees the field. He anticipates over the middle. He has the awareness to know how to operate in a talented quarterback room. Few quarterbacks in the 2025 draft class are as NFL-ready as he is in that sense.

Keep an eye on the cornerbacks. It’s a group of young and hungry players with all different types of backgrounds. You have former first-rounders (Jeff Okudah), later-round picks trying to prove their worth (Isaiah Rodgers and Mekhi Blackmon) and undrafted options like Vaughn and McGlothern. The Vikings didn’t want to lose out on Vaughn. He’s 6-foot-2 with long arms and speed. Flores and company will be watching him closely.

Pace, Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson will make the Vikings’ 53-man roster. The challenge will be for the last spot or two. The Vikings have Brian Asamoah II, who has carved out an important special teams role. They drafted Penn State’s Kobe King in the sixth round. And here’s Keys, a battering ram built for blasting ball carriers on special teams. How many players can the Vikings keep at this position? We’re about to find out.

His father, Jamar, played for the New Orleans Saints. So Nesbit will have a feel for the path he’s about to walk. He’s going to have to impress to beat out Bartholomew and Yurosek, and his blocking abilities might give him a chance.

Tre Stewart, RB, Jacksonville State

He first attended Division II Limestone University before transferring to Jacksonville State. But Stewart is legit, running for 1,678 yards and 25 touchdowns last season in Rich Rodriguez’s offense. Stewart’s calling card is his vision, and longtime NFL running back Frank Gore once said a back’s odds hinge on their eyes and their feet.

Tre Stewart for his third Touchdown of the night‼️🔥@treseanstewart8

📺ESPN 2#HardEdge | #EarnSuccess pic.twitter.com/0bIM0qWyQC

— Jax State Football (@JaxStateFB) October 10, 2024

He’s a sneaky prospect. Powell had eight interceptions over the last two years at Miami and Washington. His speed won’t light up stopwatches, and his 30 1/8-inch arms won’t bring smiles to the faces of scouts. But there is something about his knack for reading plays from depth and finding the ball that’s worth watching.

Someone besides Bolden may have to field punts and kicks during the summer, especially if Moore is not ready. Price can. He held the returner job at Texas Tech, then transferred to Indiana and contributed to the Hoosiers’ revival last season.

He played six seasons of college football, so there’s no shortage of experience. Correll will assist in the snapping portion of the summer. He is a center and more of a pass protector than a run blocker. He shouldn’t give Jurgens much trouble.

His size will spur questions. Fleming weighed only 167 pounds last season. He can track passes down the field, and his 4.44 40-yard dash is nothing to sniff at. He has returned punts as well, but he has a tough road to making the team.

Athletically, Garber will have zero problems. He is off the charts in terms of speed and leaping ability. But can he cover consistently? How well can he process where to be in real time? It wouldn’t be a shock to see him stand out over the next few weeks.

In 2023, Lewis starred for Georgia State, catching 70 passes for 877 yards and seven touchdowns. His production didn’t translate to the SEC, but if receivers coach Keenan McCardell sees something in him, anything is possible.

He began his college career at Duke, which should accelerate his relationship with special teams coordinator Matt Daniels. Familiarity with Keys, his Auburn teammate, will help both of them adapt to the professional environment. Unlike Keys, Mausi is more suited to play in coverage.

Alex Williams, DL, Middle Tennessee State

Williams has a fascinating college football arc. He attended Ohio State in 2018, transferred to Vanderbilt in 2020, didn’t play in 2022 or ’23, then finished at Middle Tennessee State last year. He measured in at 6-foot-7 and 315 pounds, which is gigantic. How that size translates to the field is a question that will be answered soon.

(Photo of Max Brosmer: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

Share on

email

Previous

trending_flat

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee Bucks can be radical in staying together

Sports

Next

trending_flat

Luka Doncic blames himself for loss to Wolves: “I didn’t play like I should have.”

JJ Redick - English