Minnesota Vikings 2022 midseason rookie round-up

Third-Round Pick (66th Overall)

Brian Asamoah – ILB

Stats:

• 6 games played
• 2 tackles

Brian Asamoah was a third-round linebacker who really stood out in the preseason. This cat flew to the football in games and laid big hits on ball carriers.

The high energy he displayed on the field stood out amongst everyone else, and it was assumed he’d be used quite heavily rotating in for Eric Kendricks or Jordan Hicks.

Through six games, that hasn’t been the case for Asamoah. We’ve primarily seen the rookie on special teams, as his speed and sure tackling have been utilized in the solid Vikings’ coverage units.

He did get a little heavier workload against the Bears when he was asked to shadow Justin Fields, ensuring he stayed in the pocket or at least didn’t do too much damage on the ground.

Of all the rookies talked about in this article, there’s a good chance Asamoah sees the biggest increase in his snaps moving forward. He’ll likely be shadowing Kyler Murray against the Cardinals, and if Jordan Hicks’s poor pass coverage continues, Asamoah should start cutting into his playing time.

Fourth-Round Pick (118th Overall)

Akayleb Evans – CB

Stats:

• 6 games played
• 4 tackles

Akayleb Evans was the man handpicked by Vikings’ general manager Kwesi Adofo Mensah. He had to have this kid about two rounds before anyone else was even planning on drafting him.

Evans had shown some flashes in the preseason and even got some work replacing Cameron Dantzler in a few games this season.

He didn’t light up the world with those chances, but the more reps he gets, the more he’ll grow. Evans has the right attitude and is an energetic and engaging personality off the field.

It may take an injury or poor play by a starter for Evans to get his chance, so Vikings fans may hope if that’s the case, we don’t see more of this young cover man until next year.