Story by
Minnesota Vikings’ Undrafted Rookie Displayed ‘Eye-Opening’ Talent in Team Drills
- Story by
- Minnesota Vikings’ Undrafted Rookie Displayed ‘Eye-Opening’ Talent in Team Drills
The Minnesota Vikings have a total of 20 undrafted rookies on their roster right now. They range in age from 22 (six Vikings UDFA rookies are 22) up to 26 years old (punter Brett Thorson). The shortest are wide receivers Trayvon Rudolph and Luke Wysong, who measure in at 5-foot-10. The tallest are defensive tackle Smith Vilbert and offensive guard Tomas Rimac, who come in at a monstrous 6-foot-6.
Agents of first-year prospects who weren't drafted know that pairing their clients with the Vikings puts them in an environment where players can thrive. The coaching staff doesn't care how high a player was drafted or whether they were even selected at all. The best players will not only get a chance to compete but also battle for an opportunity to climb the depth chart.
Advertisement
In December, 21 of the 53 players on the Vikings' roster were former undrafted free agent signees. Ten of those players ended up starting at least one game last season. As noted, players know they'll get a chance to prove themselves in Minnesota. Now, another rookie could be paving a path toward seeing the field right away in his first NFL season.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One undrafted rookie Vikings fans have heard a lot about this summer is receiver Dillon Bell. Shortly after the draft ended, the Vikings made the former Georgia pass-catcher one of their priority free agent signings. He joined a group that already featured two of his former Georgia teammates in tight end Ben Yurosek and linebacker Chaz Chambliss , both of whom made the Vikings' roster as undrafted free agents last offseason.
Bell has hit the ground running in Minnesota, and he's been getting noticed by the coaching staff and beat writers ever since. Recently, Bell was at the center of hype thanks to ESPN's Vikings insider Kevin Seifert , who said Bell's placement within the offense has been "eye-opening" so far this summer.
"It can be difficult to gauge receiver skill sets in spring practices, when NFL rules prohibit physical coverage techniques. But it was eye-opening to see Bell — an undrafted rookie from Georgia — working extensively with the second team during drills. That placement spoke volumes about his initial impression with Vikings coaches, who in essence were putting him in the (early) mix to be the No. 4 receiver behind Justin Jefferson , Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings . "
Bell definitely has a chance to sneak onto the end of the roster to secure one of the precious final spots on the team. However, his actual path to immediate playing time may be tougher to climb.
Advertisement
Jefferson, Addison, and Jennings are firmly entrenched as the team's top three receivers who will be on the field for the bulk of the time. Yet, the WR4 job is wide open.
Nevertheless, the Vikings also invested a third-round pick in receiver Tai Felton in the 2025 NFL Draft. While that was a decision made under former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's guidance, the team isn't going to suddenly cast the 23-year-old Felton aside one year later. They also have return specialist/receiver Myles Price , who finished third in kick return yardage and ninth in punt return yards as a rookie last season.
That's already five receivers who may be locked into a roster spot heading into 2026, so Bell will have to be impressive not only on special teams, where he'll have his easiest path to early playing time, but also razor sharp when given a chance to operate within the offense. By all appearances, Bell has already done just that, which could make him the latest Vikings undrafted rookie to earn a roster spot later this fall.
Related: Former First-Round QB Reportedly Wanted Trade to Minnesota Vikings This Offseason
Advertisement
Related Headlines
