The Road to 53: QB Jaren Hall Offers a Fascinating Skillset for the Vikings
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings had their rookies report to training camp on Sunday, July 23rd. Minnesota’s veterans also reported a week ago, so training camp is in full swing in Eagan.
As the practice sessions begin, we are continuing to take a look at the depth pieces of this Vikings team, and where they may fit into the 2023 roster through our “Road to 53” series. The next player on our list is QB Jaren Hall, who the Vikings selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Background
Jaren Hall came out of high school as a mid-tier recruit, being given a three-star rating by 24/7 Sports, ESPN, and Rivals. Among quarterbacks in his 2016 recruiting class, Rivals was highest on him, ranking him 20th overall in the class.
Ultimately, Hall had a pair of offers to weigh between BYU and Utah, and the QB chose the Cougars to be his collegiate program. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Kalin Hall, who was a running back for BYU in the ’90s.
Hall was given plenty of development time in college, sitting behind QBs like Tanner Mangum and Zach Wilson for his first few seasons. Hall attempted his first passes during the 2019 season, making a pair of starts and completing 31-of-46 passes for 420 yards and a touchdown. He also totaled 29 rushing attempts for 139 yards and 3 TDs.
After Wilson led the Cougars to an 11-1 record in 2020 and was selected second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, the reins were then fully turned over to Hall for the 2021 campaign. The offense wasn’t quite able to replicate the 43.5 points per game effort from the previous year, but Hall’s first season as a starter was chalked up as a success.
The QB passed for 2583 yards, 20 TDs, and just 5 INTs over 10 games for the Cougars, and BYU went 10-3 during the season. However, the year ended on a sour note, losing the Independence Bowl to UAB, 31-28. That being said, many deficiencies existed on the defense during the season as well, with the program dropping from 4th in scoring defense to 52nd in the FBS.
2022 also saw a drop in record for the program, finishing 8-5. Again, many of the faults rested with the defense since they allowed 29.5 points per game. The offense remained steady, with Hall making more improvements as a passer. He finished the year completing 66% of his passes for 3171 yards, 31 TDs, and just 6 INTs over 12 games.
During his years as a starter, Hall remained elusive in the pocket, continuing to use his legs to evade pressure. He totaled over 300 rushing yards in both of the 2021 and 2022 seasons and scored 3 rushing TDs in each year.
This dual-threat ability made him an intriguing prospect heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, so the Vikings opted to take a chance on him with the 164th overall pick. Now, he is attempting to make his presence felt in a QB room that also contains Kirk Cousins and Nick Mullens.
How Hall Can Impact the 2023 Vikings
Jaren Hall’s most important passes in 2023 likely won’t come on the field during actual games. Instead, they will be during training camp and during in-season practices as he continues to develop his arm.
The best thing about Hall is his ability to work through progressions. He isn’t limited to one half of the field. He’s patient and under control in the pocket at all times. When he feels pressure, he’s nimble enough on his feet to scramble and find either open space to pass or pick up a few chunk yards, as displayed throughout his BYU career.
Vikings leadership, including GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, have also raved about Hall’s leadership skills in the aftermath of the draft, and he looks poised to take on the challenge of competing for a role with an NFL team.
The most important thing to keep in mind with Hall’s skillset is the fact that he offers a very different skillset from both Kirk Cousins and Nick Mullens. Rather than being strictly a pocket passer, he is agile enough to leave the pocket and make throws on the run.
In an NFC North division that has a few mobile QBs, such as Justin Fields and Jordan Love, Hall’s presence on the Vikings roster allows the defense to prepare against a QB with similar rushing skills as their division rivals.
Obstacles in His Way
At the end of the day, Hall has a lot of work to do in order to prove that he can lead an NFL franchise. He is already 25 years old, and he will be at least 26 or 27 by the time Minnesota feels comfortable enough to hand over the offense to him.
Additionally, Hall may have a fastball on him, but his stature could cause a little concern at the NFL level. He stands at 6 feet tall and weighs 207 pounds, a very slight frame, even for the smallest of NFL QBs. Overall, it certainly isn’t impossible for Hall to become the Vikings starting QB with a couple years of further development, but are the Vikings going to be willing to wait that long?
The Prediction
Again, Hall’s most important throws of the 2023 season are likely happening right now as training camp gets underway. So far, it seems as if things are positive for the rookie QB, but there is still plenty of work to do. With teams now able to dress three QBs without using a roster spot, we should certainly see him on the Vikings sideline throughout the season. Don’t expect to see much in-game action for him during 2023, though.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.