The Minnesota Vikings added seven rookies in the 2024 NFL Draft and 17 more from undrafted free agency.
2 New Vikings Top Fancy CBS Sports List
Indeed, 24 players gained purple employment in the last week, and for the third consecutive year, folks are applauding the Vikings’ undrafted free-agent haul.
In fact, two newcomers topped a recent of the NFL’s top UDFAs, courtesy of CBS Sports.
1. Dwight McGlothern (CB)
McGlothern was speculated as a mid-to-late-round pick leading into the draft, but then Thursday, Friday, and Saturday passed without his name mentioned at the podium in Detroit. Accordingly, he hit undrafted free agency, and CBS Sports‘ Chris Trapasso nominated the young defender as the second-best UDFA of this class. He placed second to the next guy in the article.
“I had a third-round grade on McGlothern but wrote before the draft, I was fully prepared for him to either be picked late on Day 3 or go undrafted. I was fine with it,” Trapasso explained. “Because of his poor-ish combine and knowing that Day 3 is mostly filled with highly athletic projects — and rightfully so — McGlothern fell into that bucket of older, quality football player without freaky traits that usually is either… you guessed it, a Day 3 pick or undrafted free agent.”
McGlothern’s scouting report claimed he might be too penalty-prone to last in the big leagues. Stay tuned.
Trapasso added, “He’s so fluid and instinctive in off-man and zone coverage. And if you want a one-game sample with McGlothern, go watch his performance against LSU and its No. 2 overall pick quarterback, No. 6 overall pick and No. 23 overall pick receivers.”
2. Gabriel Murphy (OLB)
Already dubbed “this year’s Ivan Pace Jr.” by Vikings fans, Murphy has a similar undrafted story to Pace Jr.’s. Both men were evidently avoided in the draft because of their size and perceived strength.
But Trapasso disagreed, naming Murphy the top prize of the 2024 UDFA class. “The Vikings know what they’re doing on the undrafted free-agent market. No doubt. Ivan Pace. Remember him? Yeah. Not picked. Then became a do-everything stud linebacker for Minnesota last season at not even 6-0,” he wrote.
“Murphy can be the Pace of the 2023 UDFA class for the Vikings, and the similarities between the two are striking. Lack of prototypical size and length was probably the reason Murphy went undrafted — Pace knows how that feels — but, like Pace, Murphy was outstandingly productive in college, and, actually where they differ is Murphy tested like a premier athlete for his respective position.”
Oddly, after Danielle Hunter left Minnesota in March, the EDGE depth seemed suspect. Now, though, Minnesota employs Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, rookie Dallas Turner, Patrick Jones II, Jihad Ward, Andre Carter, and Murphy at outside linebacker. Not bad.
Trapasso concluded about Murphy, “Yes, Minnesota traded up for the highly decorated and athletic Dallas Turner at No. 17. And they signed Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard in free agency. BUT, if any defensive coordinator will know how to deploy him, it’s Brian Flores.”
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.