Vikings Tip their Hand at One of the Roster’s Thinnest Spots
Eliminate the single-player positions on special teams — kicker, punter, long snapper — and there would be no thinner position on the Vikings’ roster than tight end.
Right now, T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver are the only options. The tandem is exemplary. The TE1 is a great weapon in the passing game while the TE2 is a bulldozer as a blocker. Combined, Hockenson and Oliver were both among PFF’s top-ten tight ends last season, so there hasn’t been too much panic in Minnesota about the lack of depth. Even still, there does need to be some help added, and the Vikings recently tipped their hand by expressing interest in someone whom they’re considering in the draft.
Vikings Tip their Hand at Tight End
Tip of the cap to The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, someone with Minnesota connections aplenty.
Pelissero provided the specifics on the TE meeting: “Former Georgia and Stanford TE Ben Yurosek is on a ’30’ visit to the #Vikings today. He ran a 4.64 40 at UGA’s pro day and finished his collegiate career with 123 catches for 1,527 yards.” Note: the “today” that Pelissero mentions is from an update that arrived on Monday, April 7th.
Add a bit of context to that tidbit of information. For reference, Hockenson ran a 4.70 whereas Oliver was coming in at a 4.63. Yurosek thus has an impressive time, all things considered.
He stands at 6’5″ and was listed as weighing 232 pounds in college, meaning he’s a bit thinner than a lot of NFL tight ends. His task could involve being a menace in the passing game rather than being someone who plows lanes for the running back. His final season in college involved picking up 15 receptions for 185 yards. His most productive season was back in 2021, picking up 43 catches, 658 yards, and 3 touchdowns while still at Stanford.
For whatever it’s worth, Yurosek also had 14 career carries while in college, picking up 114 rushing yards (an 8.1 yards-per-carry average). The Vikings love versatile players, so that small detail won’t dampen enthusiasm in the Twin Cities.
Much more important, though, will be his ability catching the ball and while developing as a blocker. Oh, and special teams, too (especially early). Indeed, a young guy — such as one who would be behind well-established veterans in Hockenson and Oliver — needs to ply his trade on specials, adjusting to life in the pros in a lesser capacity on offense while playing a beefy role in football’s overlooked phase: special teams.
Consider some of the scouting insight courtesy of PFF: “Yurosek didn’t see heavy usage in 2024, but he brings adequate all-around NFL ability for the position (best as a move tight end), especially if he can put on 5-10 pounds. He can be a versatile TE2 in basically any offense as a mid-round pick.”
For whatever it’s worth, PFF puts the tight end at 245 pounds while listing him at 151st overall within their top 300 players. In other words, he’s being looked at as a Day 3 selection and seems to already be putting in work to develop his body.
The Minnesota Vikings are sitting on just four draft selections going into the 2025 NFL Draft. Quite likely, Minnesota ends up making more than just four selections. Some combination of trading back and/or dipping into future draft capital — such as the allotment of 2026 picks, beefed up due to compensatory picks — could push the total higher.
A recent mock draft on PurplePTSD involved the Vikings scooping up Ben Yurosek.
Oh, and one more thing: the other roster that’s just two-deep? Quarterback.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.