Jake Golday is one of the more unique players at off-ball linebacker, and that skill set is going to maximize what Brian Flores loves to do.
With four of the first five selections, and five of the first seven, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores saw his unit reloaded.
They weren't just talented players on all three levels, but excellent fits. The majority of the discussion is on Florida Gators defensive tackle Caleb Banks , and rightfully so. He's an immensely talented player who has the tools to be a game-wrecker on defense. Not only is he a seamless fit for Flores, but the talent is insanely high.
While most focus on Banks, it's another pick that is the most intriguing across the board: Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday.
At 6-4 and 240 pounds, Golday has plenty of size to be an off-ball linebacker, but his history doesn't have a lot of traditional middle linebacker snaps. Over his two years at Cincinnati, his alignment splits are fascinating.
| Alignment |
Snaps |
|---|---|
| Slot |
501 |
| Box |
448 |
| Defensive line |
181 |
| Free safety |
2 |
| Wide cornerback |
2 |
Where the intrugue lies with Golday is the variety of snaps. His first two seasons at Central Arkasas had Golday as an edge rusher. That's going to be a key piece to the entire puzzle here. They did move him off-ball in 2023, and that's what he did for the Bearcats.
Here's why being a former edge rusher is important. With how Flores likes to utilize his pressure packages, Golday's experience at setting the edge will be incredibly valuable. Wilson had his moments where he set the edge well, but he was too often blown off the ball.
Golday being a former edge rusher will help him in more ways than one, as he's going to be asked to rush the passer. Flores asks the off-ball linebackers to play multiple roles, especially in attacking the offensive line. Golday is a positive as a blitzer, as he's a great linear mover and punishes gaps with quickness and force.
The versatility element comes into play in a major way with Golday. Despite it not being his best position, Golday played a lot in the slot. They used his length and movement skills to their advantage. With how the Vikings like to maneuver with all three levels of the defense in their unique coverage structures, Golday will be more ready than a standard rookie to run those coverages.
Now, Golday isn't likely to be a major contributor right away, but a likely starter for Blake Cashman next season. He still needs to get comfortable playing off the ball.
Where you can tell he needs development is with his recognition skills. You can tell that Golday is just a titch slow when it comes to recognizing plays in front of him. With how teams ran RPOs consistently, he was caught flat-footed consistently. That could translate to the NFL with play-action. A lot of film study will help him make smarter decisions and use his instincts more effectively.
The more comfortable Golday gets instinctually, he will become a much better linebacker on the second level. Initially, Golday will likely be used as a blitzer similarly to how Ivan Pace Jr. was during the beginning of his career. As he develops more throughout his rookie season, watch them start to deploy Golday in a multitude of ways.
We likely won't see everything with Golday in year one, but the potential versatility is fascinating in this defense.
