Minnesota Vikings: Which young defender will be the next star?
By Dan Zinski
Fans were a bit surprised and possibly a tad dismayed when the Vikings traded promising linebacker Gerald Hodges to the 49ers in the middle of last season, but any doubt they may have had about the wisdom of that deal evaporated when rookie Eric Kendricks stepped in for Hodges and started tearing things up. Kendricks finished the season with 72 tackles, becoming the first Vikings rookie to lead the team in that category since 1961. He also finished with four sacks.
It’s tempting to refer to Kendricks as a tackling machine after the year he had but frankly the tackles he missed were as much of a story as the ones he made. Kendricks can run around all day but must become more consistent in getting the man down once he catches him. Though Kendricks certainly has the speed to run with tight ends and backs, he must also become better in coverage. Yes, Kendricks has things to work on, but he is only entering his second season. Whether Kendricks ends up staying at the Mike or moving to the Will (where he might actually be more effective), the young man has the makings of a tremendous player.