Who are some overlooked Minnesota Vikings players that could make an impact in 2020?
The Minnesota Vikings have been doing what they can to prepare for the 2020 season under the current circumstances.
The Vikings have added players through the draft and free agency this year and they are itching to get a closer look at these new faces to see how they fit in on their current depth chart.
While the new additions are exciting, there are also young players returning to the team who could be just as impactful during the 2020 season. These are second-year guys who got a taste of live action a season ago and are currently not getting any kind of attention, or at least not enough in the world of social media, about the impact they could have in 2020.
These players’ scant experience from a season ago can be a huge advantage in their attempt to make a jump up the depth chart over Minnesota’s newest group of rookies who are going to be starting from behind due to the restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
So who are four under-the-radar Vikings players that could have a big impact on the team’s success in 2020?
Oli Udoh – OT
The biggest and sexiest news regarding the Vikings offensive line this offseason was the selection of Ezra Cleveland in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Minnesota took the athletic Cleveland in the second round to be their starting left tackle of the future. While he might need about half a year of seasoning, he is a perfect fit for Gary Kubiak’s blocking scheme and it shouldn’t take him long to surpass Riley Reiff on the Vikings’depth chart.
One Minnesota offensive tackle who isn’t getting a lot of buzz this year is Oli Udoh. Udoh was a sixth-round pick in 2019, but he was inactive for the majority of his rookie season.
He did end up playing quite a bit during the Vikings’ regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears and during the matchup, he showed toughness and tenacity.
Udoh attacked the Bears defenders with a surprising amount of aggression. In one instance he even pancaked Chicago pass rusher, Khalil Mack. Even though the game was pretty meaningless, Udoh showed he can play in the NFL and put some good snaps on film.
Udoh won’t supplant Brian O’Neill, Reiff, or Cleveland at tackle for Minnesota this season, but he could become one of the primary backups.
There have also been rumblings that the tenacious blocker could be moved to guard. He would have a realistic shot to win a starting job there over Pat Elflein or Dru Samia. Obviously, losing reps without mini-camps this year hurts, but chances are still good that the Vikings will get a lot more out of Udoh this season than they did in 2019.
Kris Boyd – CB
As we get closer to the start of the season, all the talk about the Vikings cornerback group has been about Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, Jeff Gladney, and Cameron Dantzler, which makes sense.
Hughes and Hill are likely going to start on the outside and they have the most experience. Gladney and Dantzler are rookies and everyone is excited to see what they bring to the field. But one corner who isn’ t getting enough props is Kris Boyd.
Boyd was a pleasant surprise a season ago. He overcame a tough preseason where he looked lost in his coverages and he ended up contributing as a solid special teamer.
Boyd was an excellent gunner who was usually the first one to make contact with the returner. He started really relishing the role and he became excited when he made a play. This gave him confidence that carried over to the defensive side of the ball.
Late in the season, Boyd started seeing more and more snaps on defense. His coverage was much better than what he showed in the preseason and his tackling was also improved. In spot duty, Boyd finished with 22 total tackles (two for a loss), a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup.
The most promising thing about Boyd was how far he progressed throughout the year. He looked like he was going to get cut in the preseason and then he became a core special teamer and top reserve in the cornerback group. He took his coaching to heart, and that improved his overall game.
Boyd really isn’t that far behind Hill and Hughes and he should be mentioned in the same breaths they are. If he continues to impress during this year’s preseason, his playing time should increase and he might even get some starts.
Armon Watts – DT
The Vikings have a new look to their defensive line in 2020. They have gotten rid of long time players like Linval Joseph and Everson Griffen. They’ll be counting on newly signed Michael Pierce to stuff the run during the season and Ifeadi Odenigbo to provide the pass rush on the right side.
These two aren’t the only guys heading into new roles this year. Minnesota also selected James Lynch in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft and he’s expected to provide some much needed interior pressure on passing downs for Minnesota.
While it’s exciting to see what the new faces will do and how Odenigbo will function in a starting role, there is a second-year player who could break out next season that no one is talking about.
That man is Armon Watts, who was a sixth-round pick of the Vikings in 2019. He didn’t see action until about halfway through his rookie season, but he was a surprisingly productive player.
Watts finished with 13 tackles, one pass break-up (which led to a touchdown), 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Despite being a rookie, he showed the ability to stuff the run and provide an interior pass rush.
This dual-threat role could log him many more snaps with Minnesota in 2020. If he has a promising training camp and he flashes during preseason games it’s not out of the question that he ascends the depth chart and pushes Stephen, Johnson, and Lynch out of the way to end up starting opposite Pierce on the inside of the defensive line.
Alexander Hollins – WR
The Vikings wide receiver corps was the talk of the offseason. Minnesota traded away star pass-catcher Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills and then the Vikings signed former Tennessee Titans receiver Tajae Sharpe in free agency to provide some veteran leadership next season.
In this year’s NFL Draft, Minnesota used the pick in the Diggs deal to get former LSU receiver Justin Jefferson. The Vikings also drafted K.J. Osborn in the fifth round and signed a very promising pass-catcher who went undrafted, in Quartney Davis.
While everyone is busy trying to figure out which of these players will join Adam Thielen and Bisi Johnson on the depth chart in 2020, they are leaving out one promising member of the receiving corps.
Alexander Hollins was an undrafted free agent from a year ago and he worked his way into being active for four games in 2019. Hollins caught two passes for 46 yards last year and has decent size at 6-foot-1.
One advantage Hollins has over Osborn and Davis is that he’s already got a year of experience under his belt. He’s been through a training camp and has been catching passes from Kirk Cousins.
He understands Minnesota’s offense, though it’ll be a little bit different under Gary Kubiak. These young players coming in are learning from scratch and they are far behind almost everyone else with the loss of OTAs and mini-camps this year.
While it’s fun to speculate whether Osborn or Davis will make the team, there’s a good chance that it’s actually Hollins who is named the Vikings’ fifth receiver for the 2020 season.