4 most underhyped Vikings heading into the 2021 season
By Adam Carlson
Ihmir Smith-Marsette, wide receiver
Having an excellent third wide receiver can make things easier on an offense. If you take a trip through Vikings fans on Twitter or in Facebook comments, you are likely to see a lot of fans wanting players like Larry Fitzgerald, Dede Westbrook, or someone else to be signed to contribute in a big way.
Minnesota does still have players like Bisi Johnson and Chad Beebe set to return this season, but fans shouldn’t count out rookie receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette as a possible option to step into that role going forward.
A fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the speedy pass-catcher out of Iowa was a monster on the field. He averaged 14.7 yards per catch at the college level and found the end zone 14 times on his 110 catches and racked up 1,615 yards in the process.
Of course, it would be nice to have a more established player to rest the hopes of the team’s offense on, but the potential is definitely there for the 6’1, 181-pound rookie to have opportunities to step up in a big way.