Minnesota Vikings 2023 mid-season rookie report card

Undrafted: Ivan Pace - ILB (Cincinnati)

Stats: 32 tackles, 0.5 sacks

Ivan Pace Jr. was a fan favorite from the moment the Vikings signed him after the draft. He was an undersized standout at Cincinnati and was known for playing the game with reckless abandon.

Pace always went 100 percent flying through the line and blowing up plays and quarterbacks in the backfield. As the overanalysis of the draft proceeded throughout the late winter and spring, concerns arose about his size and lack of arm length.

A poor workout escalated the fears that Pace didn't have the size or speed to hold up and produce in the NFL, and he went undrafted. He has proven those fears to be false.

He's been a standout since the first minicamp in Brian Flores' defense. The dude's stats don't reflect the impact he's had or his ability to create pressure from an inside linebacker spot.

He does have some limitations in coverage, and many assumed he'd have made a few more big-time plays, but he's been a solid and effective part of this defense that is getting better every single week.

GRADE: B