Mekhi Blackmon and 4 other under-the-radar Vikings to watch in training camp

After a long offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have finally reported to training camp. This spring has had plenty of highs and lows, and on Wednesday afternoon, all of the number crunching and projections will finally hit the football field.

Fans flocking to TCO Performance Center will already want to see how J.J. McCarthy looks or whether Dallas Turner can be an impact player on defense. But with all of the turnover that took place, there will be plenty of competition not only for starting spots but roster spots as well.

So which under-the-radar players deserve fans attention? Here’s a look at five players to keep an eye on during training camp.

Under-the-radar Minnesota Vikings to watch in training camp

Blake Brandel - OG

What would Vikings training camp be without a guard competition? The Vikings brought back Dalton Risner, signed Dan Feeney, and have incumbent Ed Ingram, but the most interesting guard may be Blake Brandel.

Brandel began his career as an offensive tackle after being selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft but made his transition to guard last season. While he served in a reserve role, he signed a three-year, $9.5 million this offseason and has drawn rave reviews from Kevin O’Connell and Wes Phillips.

Brandel’s development will come down to training camp as he competes for a starting job. If he thrives, he could become a full-time starter for the first time in his career and possibly shift over to right guard if Ingram struggles.

Will Reichard - K

The history of Vikings kickers has been sketchy, dating back to Gary Anderson’s missed field goal in the 1998 NFC Championship. But after Blair Walsh, Dan Bailey and Daniel Carlson failed to reverse the curse, Reichard will be the next to take a shot.

Reichard’s pedigree is impressive as the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, and he drew rave reviews after his performance at minicamp. But it also sounds similar to the path Carlson took before getting to the Vikings and being cut after two regular season games.

Carlson was able to rebound and become one of the best kickers in the NFL but that happened with the Las Vegas Raiders. While O’Connell has shown more leniency than Mike Zimmer showed with his kickers, it will be on Reichard to get off to a good start.

Ty Chandler - RB

Ty Chandler might not be an under-the-radar player after he started for the final month of the 2023 season but he got pushed back down the depth chart with the signing of Aaron Jones.

Chandler’s athleticism has never been an issue with a sub-4.4 second time in the 40-yard dash but it’s been the smaller things that have kept him off the field. His issues in pass protection and mental lapses kept him behind Alexander Mattison as he was having one of the worst seasons by a running back in franchise history and it may have him take a backseat to Jones when the season begins.

But with Jones set to turn 30 in December, he could wind up missing time, which could open the door for Chandler to become the 1B in the Vikings backfield with a strong camp.

Levi Drake Rodriguez - DL

A lot of people will have their eye on the Vikings' offense, but the defensive line might be just as intriguing. The defensive line was stretched thin in the final month of the season and rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez has the opportunity to lineup beside Harrison Phillips and Jerry Tillery.

Rodriguez has an intriguing backstory as he began his collegiate career at Southwestern Assemblies of God. After hearing a calling to take his talents to the next level, he moved on to Texas A&M-Commerce and became an impact player in the FCS.

Rodriguez was dubbed “Prospect X” by Kayln Kahler of The Athletic and has an interesting profile to take a job during training camp.

Mekhi Blackmon - CB

The final spot goes to the secondary as the Vikings look for a starting cornerback to line up across from Shaquill Griffin on the outside. In the current state of the roster, it may be on an incumbent to take charge and Blackmon could be the player to take advantage.

Blackmon was a third-round pick by the Vikings in the 2023 draft and found his way into the starting lineup as the season progressed. While there were some growing pains, the 25-year-old thrived in man coverage and could fit in with Brian Flores’s plans to take his defense to another level.

Cornerback is one of the most fluid positions on the roster, and Blackmon could have a breakout during training camp.

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