The Road to 53: Is Ty Chandler Capable of Being an RB2?
Josh Frey
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The Vikings roster is just about set for training camp this summer, and with that, the offseason moves past the roster construction phase and into the roster evaluation phase. As we get our first glimpses of the Vikings roster in action throughout the summer, it’s time to evaluate which players should be candidates to make the final 53-man roster during training camp. Today, we continue the “Road to 53” by discussing RB Ty Chandler.
Background
Prior to landing with the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Ty Chandler had quite a journey on his road to the NFL. The running back grew up in Nashville, Tennessee, and while attending Montgomery Bell Academy, he was presented Mr. Football awards in back-to-back years during his junior and senior seasons of 2015 and 2016.
Following his senior season in which he recorded 2252 rushing yards and 39 TDs, he committed to the University of Tennessee for the 2017 season, a program that was coming off two consecutive nine-win seasons in 2015 and 2016, and three straight years of bowl wins.
Unfortunately, that success would not continue in Chandler’s freshman year, as the program went 4-8 overall, losing all eight of their SEC games. The freshman appeared in all 12 games for the Volunteers, totaling 71 carries for 305 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
2018 saw a very similar outcome for the Vols program as a whole, with the team finishing 5-7, but Chandler saw a much larger role following the departure of John Kelly for the NFL. During his sophomore year, he carried 115 times and doubled his production to 630 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Chandler put up very similar numbers in 2019, but with some improvements to the defensive side of the ball, Tennessee saw much more team success, going 8-5 and winning a thrilling Gator Bowl by a score of 23-22 over Indiana.
Down the stretch of the year, though, Chandler took a backseat to Eric Gray, and that continued in 2020, with Gray taking on 187 touches compared to Chandler’s 116. As a result, Chandler opted to return to college for a fifth-year, utilizing his extra eligibility granted due to Covid, but he transferred to North Carolina.
He entered the Tar Heels program on the heels of the departures of both Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, who combined for 313 carries, 2385 yards, and 28 TDs. Chandler wasn’t quite that prolific, but he did record career-highs across the board with 182 carries for 1092 yards and 13 TDs.
As a result, Chandler was able to enter the NFL Draft as one of the more impressive running backs in the 2022 Draft class and landed with the Vikings as the 169th overall pick. He didn’t see much of a role in the offense during his rookie season, six carries for 20 yards. There’s a chance that this role increases in 2023, though.
How Chandler Can Impact the 2023 Vikings
After the release of Dalvin Cook this offseason, the RB2 spot is wide open for the taking in Minnesota. Arguably, the door to RB1 could be cracked open a bit, but Alexander Mattison is the heavy favorite to be the starter after four seasons as a consistent backup to Cook.
Chandler also has a very similar build and athletic profile to Cook, making it evermore apparent as to why the Vikings had interest in him to begin with. Here’s a look at Chandler’s pre-draft measurements:
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 204 pounds
- Arm Length: 32 1/8″
- Hand Size: 9″
- Bench: 15 reps
- 40-yard dash: 4.38
- 20-yard split: 2.54
- 10-yard split: 1.46
- Vertical: 31″
- Broad Jump: 10’1″
And here is Cook’s:
- Height: 5’10”
- Weight: 210 pounds
- Arm Length: 32 3/8″
- Hand Size: 9 1/4″
- Bench: 22 reps
- 40-yard dash: 4.49
- 20-yard split: 2.63
- 10-yard split: 1.59
- Vertical: 30.5″
- Broad Jump: 9’8″
Essentially, Chandler is a bit faster than Cook, but the two have very similar explosiveness and agility. As long as the second-year running back brings a strong work ethic to the field, he should find success at the NFL level.
Additionally, while Chandler has not been given much of a chance to be a receiving back throughout his football life, he has made the most of limited opportunities. In his sole season with North Carolina, the running back caught 15 passes for 216 yards. This is a role that Chandler should see more of as he moves up the depth chart in Minnesota.
Obstacles in His Way
The RB2 job being wide open is a blessing and a curse for Chandler. In order to win that spot on the depth chart, he will have to fend off both Kene Nwangwu and DeWayne McBride, who have just as much of a chance at the job as he does. Nwangwu has never been much of a “bell cow” RB, even going back to his collegiate days at Iowa State, but McBride was one of the most prolific RBs in all of college football last season.
McBride also offers much more as a blocker, particularly in pass protection than Chandler does. This skillset is an underrated necessity at the running back position, especially in today’s NFL, so it’s something to keep in mind when training camp and preseason arrive.
The Prediction
Ultimately, the RB2 job will likely come down to a battle between Chandler and McBride. However, given Chandler’s combination of a rushing and receiving ability, he is a more versatile weapon than the seventh-round pick. As the Vikings attempt to be a more unpredictable offense in 2023, it seems more likely that Chandler will grab the RB2 role this season.
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.