Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!
Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.
What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.
As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.
Background
Name: Wilson Huber
Rank: 77
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 241
Experience: Rookie
College: Cincinnati
Stats (At Cincinnati): 85 total tackles (39 solo), 13 TFL, 5 sacks
Votes:
Tyler Forness: 76
Kevin Fielder: 83
Judd Zulgad: 76
Saivion Mixson: 76
Average: 77.5
Best case scenario
Special teams make special teams, and that’s true for Wilson Huber.
Despite not seeing the field much on defense, Huber built a strong college career on being a special teams maestro. Huber blocked two punts in 2019 and followed that up by blocking another one against SMU in 2021.
Those skills on special teams are Huber’s golden ticket to making the 53-man roster for the Minnesota Vikings. If the Vikings are willing to look past some of his defensive shortcomings, then Huber could be on the fast track to take one of the final linebacker spots on the 53-man roster.
Worst case scenario
As previously mentioned, Huber didn’t see the field much on defense with Cincinnati. He was usually a reserve linebacker but was a starter in his final season. While that could represent “untapped potential,” Huber played six years of college football because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To some degree, what you see is likely what you get with Huber. And in the NFL, that’s likely a special team’s ace with limited defensive production.
What to expect in 2023
Don’t count Huber out yet because the Minnesota Vikings could give him a shot because of his special teams. However, the Vikings may not be in a position to “waste” a roster spot on a player who can’t contribute on the defensive side of the ball.
Outside of Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah II, the Vikings aren’t exactly brimming with top-quality linebackers who can impact the game. As a result, Flores could transition to a linebacker-by-committee approach. That approach could lead to Huber getting overlooked for someone with more defensive upside.
The practice squad may be an option for Huber, but his lack of defensive upside may be enough for the Vikings to look a different way.
