5 early standouts from the Vikings 2019 training camp

Alexander Mattison – RB

In today’s NFL, if a team drafts a running back earlier than the fourth round, they probably expect him to contribute immediately. For the Vikings’ 2019 third-round pick, Alexander Mattison, it doesn’t seem like this should be a problem.

Mattison is currently battling Ameer Abdullah and Mike Boone for Minnesota’s No. 2 running back job behind Dalvin Cook this season. So far, there doesn’t seem to be any reason why the rookie can’t be the one to open up the year as Cook’s backup.

Given his size (5-foot-11, 221 pounds), Mattison is a physical back who could be the perfect complement to Cook. During his time in college at Boise State, Mattison seemed to find his way into the end zone more often than not whenever he got the ball near the goal line.

He would be a great option for Minnesota to have in their backfield during short-yardage and goal line situations, especially since this was an area that they struggled in last season.

Mattison will definitely be a guy to keep an eye on during the Vikings’ upcoming preseason matchups. If his play in training camp so far is any indication, opposing defenders should not be looking forward to trying to tackle Minnesota’s rookie running back.