6 Vikings Breakout Candidates in 2025
Coming off a 14-3 season, some Vikings players enjoyed a breakout year in 2024. Those certainly include first-time Pro Bowler Andrew Van Ginkel, who elevated his game into elite territory. Linebacker Blake Cashman turned out to be a steal, Patrick Jones secured seven sacks, Jalen Nailor scored six times, and Jalen Redmon snatched the starting role late in the season.
6 Vikings Breakout Candidates in 2025
That’s what’s fun about breakout players. For some, it just means making the team and clinching a role; for others, only turning into a star counts. Let’s check who this year’s Van Ginkel or Nailor might be.
Gabriel Murphy
Gabriel Murphy could be a sneaky player to watch in training camp. The pass rusher out of UCLA was a highly-touted undrafted rookie a year ago, and folks thought he could be the next Ivan Pace Jr. However, an injury suffered in training camp limited him to two games.
The reason for his potential rise is obvious. Patrick Jones departed via free agency, and he is the fourth guy on the depth chart behind Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard, and fellow sophomore Dallas Turner.
Isaiah Rodgers
Signed in free agency, cornerback Isaiah Rodgers is currently the front-runner to start for the Minnesota Vikings in the upcoming season. Byron Murphy Jr. re-signed, but Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin haven’t made their return to the Twin Cities.
Rodgers just played in a rotational role for the Super Bowl-winning Eagles. The speedy defender could get his first full-time starting opportunity.
Theo Jackson
Another guy who’s benefitting from free agency, Theo Jackson, was brought back for a fourth season and scored a sweet raise in the process. Cam Bynum signed with the Colts, leaving a vacancy next to Harrison Smith and Joshua Metellus in the secondary.
The safety has earned credit throughout the years in Minnesota and played quite well in his limited opportunities.
Mekhi Blackmon
Back to cornerback, every NFL team needs three dependable cornerbacks, and Mekhi Blackmon is the next in line after Murphy Jr. and Rodgers. He will likely compete with the latter.
The former third-rounder lost his sophomore season due to a torn ACL but is now back in the mix. He showed a lot of promise in his rookie campaign.
Dallas Turner
Turner logged 300 snaps in 16 games but couldn’t get past Van Ginkel and Greenard, and even Jones played snaps ahead of him. It shouldn’t be expected that he can secure a starting gig because Van Ginkel and Greenard are outstanding football players, but his snap count and the subsequent production should increase in year two.
He has shown flashes of his exciting potential in 2024 and can build on that.
J.J. McCarthy
It’s J.J. McCarthy’s team, and the sophomore QB has all the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback, starting with mobility, arm strength, and killer mentality.
In addition to that, he will play in an excellent ecosystem for a signal-caller with weapons all over the place and a good offensive line. Oh, and he will have Kevin O’Connell in his corner, who has elevated numerous quarterbacks. There might be the usual growing pains of a first-year starter, but seeing him play well early in his career wouldn’t be shocking.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference 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