The Vikings’ Rookie Runner Has Some Eye-Popping Stats
The Vikings’ rookie runner — UDFA addition Tre Stewart — hasn’t received a ton of attention during the offseason. Should that change?
To be sure, the top of the position is fairly entrenched. Aaron Jones will only lose his spot as the RB1 if an injury demands that he take a step back from the field. After Jones is Jordan Mason, a trade add who is going to get featured as the RB2. Where there’s mystery is at that RB3 spot, a role that could reasonably end up sliding over to Stewart.
The Vikings’ Rookie Runner Tre Stewart
In some ways, the Vikings have been here before.
DeWayne McBride was a tremendously productive running back coming out of Conference USA. Many believed that snagging him in the 7th was a savvy move from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. In eleven games in 2022, McBride turned his 233 carries into a stunning 1,713 yards and 19 touchdowns. The 7.4 yards-per-carry average is sizzling stuff.
The issue? The runner hasn’t performed particularly well in the NFL, unable to replicate the elite production as a pro.
Now, there’s a key difference: McBride was a draft pick while Stewart was an undrafted free agent. So, a bit less pressure and lower expectations for the Vikings’ rookie runner.
Getting Tre Stewart to Minnesota involved guaranteeing $160,000 within his contract. Not the top-end for UDFA players who decided to become Vikings but a good commitment nevertheless. Clearly, Minnesota sees something in him.
If you’re looking for more reason to find promise in the youthful runner, take a look at Stewart’s stats. In 2024, Mr. Stewart finished up his season with 278 carries across fourteen games. He turned those opportunities into an eye-popping 1,638 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. The 5.9 yards-per-carry average is very healthy; the scoring is off-the-charts good.
Keep in mind that Tre Stewart did some damage as a receiver, too. He had 18 receptions go for 234 yards, working out to a pretty explosive 13.0 yards-per-catch average. There was even a receiving touchdown to bring his total scores for 2024 up to 26.
On PFF, Stewart was given an excellent 88.0 grade, good for 23rd among 444 runners who made the ranking. Unsurprisingly, the overall assessment was buoyed by an excellent 89.8 running grade.
The Vikings list the runner as being 5’8″ and 186 pounds. So, he’s pretty small for the position and coming out of a smaller school. Consider what Lance Zierlein had to say: “He’s undersized but processes lane development quickly and is efficient in getting to his action as a runner. He’s below average as a third-down option and his fumbles in 2024 were a concern. He has natural talent as a runner but without better versatility, it will be tough for him to make a roster.”
Whoever earns the RB3 gig is going to need to be able to do a few things. First, the runner needs to be strong on special teams. A perfect world would involve proving capable of returning (even as just a backup to either of the PR1 and/or KR1) while also helping as a tackler/blocker. Not many depth rookies can get by without helping on specials.
He then needs to show he can be relied upon to jump into the game at a moment’s notice. If a top option goes down (either of Jones or Mason), can Tre Stewart be leaned on to step into the backfield and handle some carries? More importantly, perhaps, will be demonstrating an ability to pickup a blitzing defender so that J.J. McCarthy doesn’t get suplexed.
No doubt, the jump from college to the pros is a tough one. The chasm is especially large for someone coming out of a less-heralded program who has some limitations in his game (at least per the scouting report). The intrigue simply rests in the upside that shines through in his numbers. Did the Vikings find a diamond in the rough?
Tre Stewart is going to get his chance to prove that he deserves a Vikings roster spot once training camp gets going later this month.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over the Cap, and Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.
