The Minnesota Vikings will see their rookies report to training camp on July 23rd with veterans reporting on July 25th. Training camp will be very interesting one for the Vikings this year, as it will be about building upon a 13-4 2022 season.
After a disastrous season under former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, Kevin O’Connell handed the reins over to former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores who brings a major culture shift on defense from conservative to incredibly aggressive.
Going into training camp, we identified five defensive players that are flying under the radar that could make some noise this August.
1. DL Khyiris Tonga
The Vikings added Tonga via waivers early in the 2022 season and he provided a level of consistency on the defensive line. A nose tackle by trade, Tonga played a lot of defensive end (4i/5T) and was successful in doing so with 10 pressures on just 151 pass-rush snaps. Moving forward, Tonga has a good chance to start at his natural nose tackle position with Harrison Phillips likely moving outside.
2.CB Tay Gowan
When it comes to playing cornerback, having an abundance of confidence is a big deal. Gowan has that in droves.
I stand on it 🏝️ pic.twitter.com/eIusQaq1YO
— Tay Gowan (@focused_4) July 13, 2023
In a cornerback room that is filled with major question marks, Gowan has a real chance to stand out and earn himself a roster spot. After being picked up off waivers in 2022, Gowan played in only three games on special teams, but the 2020 seventh-round pick out of UCF has the ability in man coverage to thrive under Flores.
3. LB Ivan Pace Jr.
Usually, you don’t see a UDFA from the current year make a list like this, but Pace is an exception. He is a short, but stocky middle linebacker whose best ability is rushing the passer. Pace had 20 sacks in college with a staggering 9.5 sacks coming last season with Cincinnati. Flores loves using players that fill a specific role and Pace will be a blitzing maven in 2023 coming at the offensive from all over the field.
4. DT Jaquelin Roy
A draft pick from the previous draft doesn’t always mesh with under the radar, but the focus of the defense is rooted in the secondary and the addition of Flores as defensive coordinator. Roy was projected by some before the 2022 to go in the first round due to his talent and pedigree. The entire LSU team struggled this past year and he ended up falling to the fifth round. Compared by some to Dalvin Tomlinson, Roy is a talented player that fits really well as a third-down nose tackle and has the power to attack the quarterback.
5. OLB Patrick Jones II
Edge rusher is an interesting one for the Vikings. Danielle Hunter, Marcus Davenport and D.J. Wonnum are all on the final year of their contracts. Jones is in a position to earn a starting job for the 2024 season with a great season and isn’t being talked about much at all. He came into the league a really good athlete that needed development with his pass rush moves, as he had four of them at about 30% developed. Being under the radar is good for Jones right now, as a great camp will catapult him to more playing time and success.
