Vikings Rookie Called “Sleeper”
The Minnesota Vikings had a small draft class, ending up with only five selected players in addition to new backup quarterback Sam Howell, who was acquired via draft pick trades. As always, the first-rounder is headlining the newcomers. Donovan Jackson is expected to start at left guard.
The third-rounder might end up being good.
On day two of the draft, the Vikings waited all the way to pick 102, the final selection of the night. They initially traded down five spots from 97 to 102. Then, they surprisingly passed on the defensive line and the secondary and instead, targeted a new receiver: Tai Felton from the University of Maryland.
In a recent piece from Chris Trapasso at CBS Sports, the analyst named sleeper rookies for the upcoming season, and for the Vikings, he chose the speedy wideout.
“Felton is fast and sudden — the desired combination at the receiver position today,” Trapasso noted. “At Maryland, he forced 44 missed tackles on his final 144 receptions with the Terrapins, and he spent time as a big-play threat (in 2023 when he averaged 15.3 yards per snag) and a volume producer (in 2024 when he caught 96 passes).”
He pretty much summed up his most prominent attributes. Felton can fly; he proved it with a 4.37 40-yard dash prior to the draft. In addition to that, he was productive at Maryland, slowly increasing his catch numbers per year from five to 23, 48, and 96.
In his final year, the receiver delivered 96 catches for 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. For a player to do that in the Big 10, there has to be some baseline of talent.
Trapasso added, “Yes, Justin Jefferson is the man. In my view, the best receiver in the NFL. Jordan Addison is no slouch at WR2. The Vikings needed a long-term answer at WR3, and they got it with Felton.”
Jefferson and Addison are in the conversation for the best WR duo in the league. At WR3, the Vikings employ a man named Jalen Nailor, who is just coming off a breakout season with over 400 yards and six touchdowns. However, he has had only one season with that kind of production; injuries have cost him games throughout his career, and he is in the final year of his rookie deal. Addison could also draw a suspension this season.
All of those items open the door for Felton to make noise early in his career.
Ahead of the draft, the folks from NFL Draft Buzz wrote about him: “Tai Felton projects as an immediate contributor from the slot with eventual potential to develop into a starting Z-receiver in systems that prize route technicians over pure athletes. He not only can take the top off defenses with 4.3 speed, but can also be the one moving chains on third down with crafty stems and sharp breaks that corners just can’t mirror.”
If last year’s top three receivers are all available, it will still be hard for Felton to get meaningful snaps in his rookie season. Special teams could be an area in which he can contribute early on. His speed makes him a perfect candidate for the punt gunner job, and he might also be in the mix for the return jobs.
Vikings WR coach Keenan McCardell worked with the young receiver at his Pro Day. He recently said, “It was a really good workout. I told him, ‘Hey, man, you got me thinking now. If I get a chance, I’m going to fight to get you.’ … He can play special teams and do a lot of things to help us as a team, first, and then as a receiver. I think he’s going to be a good Viking for a long time.”
Felton just turned 22 a few months ago, and he won’t hit the ground running like Jefferson did in 2020 or Addison in 2023. However, he has the physical tools to earn a role in the next few years and help the club win football games. He’ll be a fun player to watch in training camp and the preseason.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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