3 underdog Vikings who could win Mr. Mankato in 2023

Which young Minnesota Vikings player will earn the title of Mr. Mankato following the team's 2023 training camp and the preseason?

The Mr. Mankato Award is an annual tradition that has lasted since it was created by the "Mackey & Judd Show" in 2014. The Mankato part of the name comes from the former home of the Minnesota Vikings training camp at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Since 2018, the Vikings have called the TCO Performance Center in Eagan, Minnesota their home for training camp. Despite this, the local media and the fans of the Vikings have continued to keep the Mankato part of the Mr.Mankato Award alive.

According to the rules developed by the "Mackey & Judd Show", this award is given to a lesser-known, non-established player or a rookie drafted in the third round or later. So you probably won't see guys like Justin Jefferson, Kirk Cousins, or Harrison Smith winning this award anytime soon.

Last year's winner was linebacker Brian Asamoah, who is in line to take over as one of the two starting inside linebackers during the upcoming season.

Every year, there always seems to be a handful of players who come into Vikings training camp fairly unknown and then leave camp as a fan favorite. Let's take a look at three candidates who could go from zero to Mr.Mankato this summer.