The Vikings’ New Weapon Gets Tossed into the Slow-Mo Machine
An NFL athlete working in just shorts and a jersey is bound to look impressive. After all, anyone and everyone who makes the top football league is a gifted athlete.
One does wonder, though, about the Vikings’ new weapon.
More specifically, what does the 2025 season contain for Tai Felton, the receiver who got scooped up at No. 102 (the byproduct of a trade down the board). The 3rd-Round selection is stepping into a Vikings offense that’s loaded with skill. At best, he’ll be the fifth option in the passing game (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones). Is that portion of the pie going to be enough to put together a strong rookie season?
The Vikings’ New Weapon & The ’25 Season
Before going too far, consider the promised slow-mo video that got released courtesy of the team’s official social media. Take a look:
Truth be told, folks, gleaning insight from these videos — highly manicured ones that, again, feature players in just shorts and a jersey — isn’t particularly helpful. The (small) positives, perhaps, are simply that each of his catches are in his mitts and not against his chest, the proper way for a pass catcher to snag the ball. So, too, is the bit of encouragement that Kevin O’Connell gives to his rookie receiver at the end notable (continuing a bit of a trend).
At 22, Mr. Felton is offering the Vikings quite a bit of youth to work with. Shining in 2025 isn’t necessarily a must but it would certainly be an added bonus. Like with 3-point shooting in basketball and goal scorers in hockey, there’s simply no such thing as too many capable pass-catching weapons in football.
The young receiver offers pretty good size at 6’2″ and 186 pounds. Not a bruiser who will inspire memories of Mike Evans — the Tampa receiver stands at 6’5″ and weighs 231 pounds — but the height is notable enough. Partner the length with sizzling speed — he ran a blistering 4.37 forty — and the intrigue builds even further.
Tai Felton’s final college season was a productive one, containing some numbers that jump off the page. He put together 96 catches for Maryland’s offense. Those catches went for 1,124 yards and 9 scores. Keep in mind, as well, that he picked up 2 carries for 23 yards. One wonders if the speed that Felton offers will prompt O’Connell to find creative ways to give him the ball, such as the occasional running play.
Consider the scouting from PFF’s draft board: “Felton was the featured wideout in Maryland’s offense in 2024 (2.32 yards per route run in 2024; 63rd percentile) but likely lacks the true difference-making qualities needed to be more than a late-round flier and depth receiver in the NFL.”
Vikings executive Ryan Grigson talked about Tai Felton after the selection, highlighting some of the strengths that Minnesota sees in the young wideout.
“There’s a lot that this player can do,” Grigson explains, “and he has the mindset to come in and be willing to do whatever it takes really to get on the field.” Not long afterwards, Grigson jumps into the speed specifically: “There’s play speed and there’s time speed […] 4.3 is going to jump out to most people whenever you see that time. And then when you see it also present itself on the field of play, that’s another box checked.” There’s then a mention of an impressive vertical jump alongside being able “run routes.”
“He’s a ball of potential, in a lot of different ways,” Grigson says.
Grigson is sure to note that Felton is more than just blazing speed, but one wonders if that ends up being the most prominent part of the mix early on. After all, Justin Jefferson is the master of the intermediate area, the layered crossing routes that often see him pick up 20+ yards. Hard for the safety not to jump up when #18 flashes in front of his face. Could that open room for Tai Felton to sneak behind the defense’s deepest man, getting down the field early on in his career?
Going into 2025, the Vikings’ new weapon isn’t assured of too much. He’ll be on the final roster, likely earning special teams snaps (Grigson mentions the receiver’s special teams play at Maryland). Tai Felton, though, will be looking to show that he can be a trusted target for J.J. McCarthy on offense.
Tai Felton is going to get the chance to show that he belongs as the offseason continues to unfold. Proving to have more promise than Jalen Nailor and Rondale Moore could involve the rookie receiver climbing as high as WR3 in 2025.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
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 Twitter and Bluesky (@VikingsGazette). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.
