4 ambitious goals for new Vikings DE Yannick Ngakoue in 2020
By Dean Jones
Finish with at least seven forced fumbles
One area of Yannick Ngakoue’s game that has really shone through during his four-year stint in the NFL is his ability to create forced fumbles. He has 14 to his name already from just 63 career games and this is undoubtedly another element that drew the Vikings into making a move for the defensive end.
Ngakoue’s ferocity at the point of attack leaves a shuddering impact on opposing players. This is the primary factor behind him creating so many turnovers for the Jaguars and the Vikings will be hoping this sort of form can follow him to Minnesota.
One thing that often gets overlooked regarding Ngakoue is his instincts. It is easy for one to focus on his exceptional physical attributes. But this only gets someone so far in the NFL and there is a good reason why he is around the ball prominently at the point of attack.
If Ngakoue can replicate this trait of getting the ball on the ground with the Vikings, it is going to stand them in enormously good stead. Setting an ambitious target of seven forced fumbles in 2020 would be a career-high and might even propel him to superstardom in the process.
Playing for a contender comes with its own set of expectations. Ngakoue is unfamiliar with this despite being part of the Jaguars defense that dominated on their way to an AFC Championship appearance in 2017. But it is a challenge he is sure to relish.