Jake Golday’s Job Description Comes to Light
In the second round of this year’s draft, the Minnesota Vikings snagged Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday. Linebacker, of course, can mean various things, from an edge rusher like Jonathan Greenard to an off-ball coverage backer such as Blake Cashman.
Golday played both roles in college. He started as a rusher and ended on the second level at the classic linebacker position. Brian Flores doesn’t particularly care about assigned position labels and accordingly deploys his athletes in versatile, unique ways.
Therefore, speculation about Golday’s usage has been floated. He’s been on the field once for the Vikings, but it indicated that he belongs in a conversation with the typical linebackers at first, rather than the edge rushers.
Consider this from Vikings.com’s Rob Kleifield, “Golday traveled with the inside ‘backers during position drills Friday. As versatile as he may be, that’s where he is expected to get his first sips of NFL water. And what a good spot to be — learning beside ‘Green Dot’ Blake Cashman and a couple former Bearcats in splash play zealot Eric Wilson and downhill militant Ivan Pace, Jr.”
Indeed, that is a Bearcats heavy position. Pace lost his starting job to Wilson last year, who’s set to return for another season in the starting lineup next to Cashman. With the two veterans around, Golday doesn’t have to enter that unit in Week 1, but eventually he’ll be asked to make plays as a second-round pick.
Kleifield still brought up Golday’s potential edge-rushing journey: “While Golday builds his baseline there and on special teams, he absolutely could factor into the edge conversation, too, because he brings experience and savvy as a rusher and dropper.”
Golday actually wants to be a versatile player, and it would certainly increase his snap count if he could play multiple defensive positions.
The rookie commented, “I’m going to spend as much time as I need in the playbook to make sure I know all the positions so that I can be put at any spot on the field [and] so I don’t have to be taken off the field.”
In his two seasons at Cincinnati, Golday registered 163 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. He also forced three fumbles.
At middle linebacker, the Vikings have a returning duo from last year, as well as backup Pace. On the edges, there could be room for immediate contributions. Jonathan Greenard was traded to Philadelphia on Golday’s draft day and Dallas Turner is set to replace him on the depth chart, with Andrew Van Ginkel starting on the other side.
The alternates behind them are unproven players who primarily help on special teams. If there’s no reinforcement coming, Flores has to get creative to fill the hole in case of injury. Ideas could include defensive tackle Jalen Redmond and linebacker Eric Wilson, who both got some run there in 2025. Sophomore Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins has been titled “tweener” between inside and outside rusher anyway.
Golday, of course, is another option. Head coach Kevin O’Connell tried to pump the brakes, though. At the rookie minicamp, he said, “We’ve got some thoughts on how the ultimate picture may look, but you want to allow [Jake] — because he’s doing it physically from today on — you want to allow him to get comfortable in a spot before maybe you start throwing multiple things at him.”
If he’s telling the truth, Golday should be expected to start out as an off-ball linebacker and try to settle in at that spot. Down the road, of course, a more complicated and versatile role could be added to his resume.
Only time will tell where the 22-year-old will line up for the Vikings. One thing is clear: they didn’t grab him in the second round to be a backup for years to come. He’ll eventually see the field.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.