It’s Another Perfect Showing from a Vikings Rookie
The Minnesota Vikings training camp is underway in Eagan, Minnesota. All eyes are on TCO Performance Center, especially the rookies who are in the spotlight for the first time in their professional football careers. That group of first-year players includes quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who the decision-makers hope will be the team’s signal-caller for years.
It’s Another Perfect Showing from a Vikings Rookie
Two former Alabama alumni are next in line to draw the most attention among rookies. First-round pass rusher Dallas Turner has the skill set to earn a big role in Brian Flores’ defense from the jump. Kicker Will Reichard, meanwhile, has his role already secured.
The sixth-rounder is asked to upgrade Minnesota’s infamous kicker position, which has produced many disappointing memories over the years. Rarely can kickers be safely evaluated. Justin Tucker, perhaps the greatest kicker ever, went undrafted, while many highly-touted prospects turn into busts annually. The Vikings, however, can be confident so far.
Consistency is key for placekickers, which is why good or bad performances early in a career shouldn’t draw an overreaction. Still, it is noteworthy if one guy keeps hitting, and that’s just what Reichard has been doing throughout camp.
Kevin Seifert (ESPN) tweeted during Saturday’s practice session: “Vikings PK Will Reichard closes out practice by hitting from 34,42,46,48,53 and 58. He’s 12-for-14 in team drills this summer.”
Hitting all six kicks shows his consistency, but perhaps the most fascinating aspect is that he made both kicks from over 50, including a 58-yarder. His predecessor, Greg Joseph, nailed a 61-yarder in a close win over the New York Giants in 2022 to set the new franchise record, previously set at 56 yards.
Even more impressive is the video of the 58-yarder, that surfaced on social media. It looked like it would’ve been good from at least 65 yards, maybe even further.
Entering the draft, Reichard was viewed as a kicker with fantastic consistency, highlighted by hitting 295 of 297 extra points in his five years at Alabama, but some draft pundits questioned his leg power. His career long in college was a 52-yarder. Granted, a dominant team like the Crimson Tide doesn’t need a kicker to drill 60-yarders.
Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) wrote about the kicker in his pre-draft evaluation: “Highly experienced in high-level matchups inside the SEC and in the College Football Playoff. Reichard kicks with consistent lift. He’s as close to automatic as you will find under 40 yards and can make 50-plus yard kicks with a high success rate but has average leg strength by the standards of today’s NFL. Reichard needs to prove he can plant a higher percentage of kickoffs as touchbacks, but his accuracy and talent should give him a strong chance at being drafted in the middle rounds and becoming a starting NFL kicker.”
Reichard is the NCAA all-time leader in points scored with 547. He hit 84 of 100 field goals and it didn’t take him long to win the starting gig over John Parker Romo who the team released last week.
Drafting a kicker is always a risky investment and not backed by analytics, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might have been right to ignore his analytics background this time. The 23-year-old will get his first chance to kick in a game on Saturday when the Vikings host the Las Vegas Raiders for a preseason matchup.
Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt