Undrafted Vikings Rookie Unceremoniously Climbs Depth Chart
The Minnesota Vikings have completed two of their three preseason matchups, coming out victorious both times, besting the Las Vegas Raiders and Cleveland Browns. While the preseason record is undoubtedly meaningless, it is noteworthy that the depth players have been performing much better this year than they did in recent years when the Vikings went on a losing streak in the preseason spanning from 2019 to 2023.
Undrafted Vikings Rookie Unceremoniously Climbs Depth Chart
Those depth players include preseason standout Trishton Jackson, a wideout who’s making a strong case to be on the 53-man roster when the Vikings say goodbye to 38 players next week.
On defense, one could argue that cornerback Dwight McGlothern has been the best player of the entire team.
Despite adding a handful of cornerbacks since the start of training camp, the Arkansas and LSU product is on pace to make the team. The team website’s depth chart lists him as a second-teamer, behind starters Stephon Gilmore and Byron Murphy Jr., with Akayleb Evans and Shaq Griffin.
Now, it is important to clarify that the depth chart is unofficial and doesn’t always reflect reality and the status quo of the coaching staff. Still, it is notable as he was listed as a fourth-stringer a couple of weeks ago when the first unofficial depth chart went online.
Through continuously good performances, however, he has overtaken Fabian Moreau, A.J. Green III, and Jacobi Francis (Andrew Booth Jr. was listed ahead of him but has been traded away). That is a significant jump. Rookies generally start lower on the depth chart and slowly work their way up.
McGlothern has only been targeted twice through two preseason games. He has yet to allow a catch and has notched one interception, followed by a 91-yard return. PFF lists him with an 85.0 coverage grade, which is a team-high by a wide margin.
The cornerback possesses a promising athletic profile, with the requisite length at 6-2 and a 4.47-second 40-yard dash, although it is combined with underwhelming results in broad and vertical jump. After two seasons at LSU, McGlothern transferred to Arkansas. He registered seven interceptions in his last two collegiate seasons against top-notch SEC competition.
NFL scout Lance Zierlein wrote about the prospect before the draft: “Ball-hawking cornerback with the eyes, instincts and ball skills to flip the field against careless quarterbacks. McGlothern can press a little bit and handle some man coverage. However, he might be at his best in zone coverages, where he can scan the field and play chess with the route combinations and quarterbacks. He overlaps coverage areas to make plays on the football and has Cover 3 cornerback written all over him. McGlothern is passive as a run defender, which will slide him down the board for some teams. He possesses average speed and athleticism, but the skills are there to label him a Day 3 prospect with upside.”
McGlothern is currently one of the top five conerbacks on the team, and another strong week would ensure his continued employment after cutdown day on August 27.
After Ivan Pace Jr. last year, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah might have found another gem for Brian Flores’ defensive unit.
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