3 Underrated MN Vikings to Watch at Training Camp

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Max Brosmer - Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Photo courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

When the Minnesota Vikings kick off training camp this week, they will do so with eyes fixed on the August 9th preseason opener at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Houston Texans, where we expect to see the much anticipated return of 2024 No. 10 overall pick, JJ McCarthy.

After a 14-win campaign with Sam Darnold under center, this is now McCarthy’s team. He doesn’t have to clear the same bar his predecessor set, after Sam far exceeded any and all expectations in 2024. This season isn’t about regular season wins and losses or ultimately empty QB statistics.

2025 is about winning playoff games, which means the regular season, and especially the preseason, are about preparing for the postseason. Stay healthy, get into the tournament, then make sure you’re one of the most well-rounded, pressure tested teams remaining, come January.

Entering training camp, the MN Vikings have stars all over the 90-man roster. But only 53 players can make the final cut, and even less will have a direct impact on winning and helping Kevin O’Connell & Co realize their ultimate goal of getting the purple and gold back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1976-77 season.

Under-the-Radar Minnesota Vikings to watch at training camp/preseason

Some of Minnesota’s 2025 contributors are obvious. We know that the Vikings’ success this season relies heavily on the backs of Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, the health of their new-look offensive/defensive lines, and ultimately, the continued development of JJ McCarthy.

Kevin O'Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

But there are also lesser-known talents in Eagan this week — guys that enter camp with an undefined role and undetermined future — who will jump out and surprise coaches, media and fans alike over the next month or two and spin this opportunity into a spot on the 53-man roster and a role on an NFL team.

Here, we have three of those players that fans should keep an eye out for, as the Minnesota Vikings work their way through training camp and the 2025 preseason. These guys aren’t fighting for starting jobs, and won’t always make a mark on the Sunday (or Thursday, Friday, Monday, Thanksgiving, Xmas, etc) boxscore.

But all three will fight for a spot on the final 53-man roster and for fringe playing time in the regular season, should any of the projected players ahead of them fall to injury. A couple could also make a mark on special teams.

Tai Felton (22 years old) – Wide Receiver

For a couple of seasons now, the Minnesota Vikings have been trying to transitioned 2022 6th round pick Jalen Nailor into their WR3 role. So far, the results have been… mixed.

Nailor caught 28 passes from Darnold last season, totaling 414 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. The growing pains have been evident through his first two seasons in the NFL, however, and Nailor’s previous injury history raises even more concerns about his viability as playoff team’s third wide receiver option.

That’s why the Vikings went into this offseason looking for more of a passive upgrade at WR3. First, they signed Rondale Moore as a low-risk, high-upside pickup in free agency. Then, they turned to the middle rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, where they selected 6’2″, 186 lb Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton.

Minnesota Gophers fans may still have nightmares starring Tai Felton. He came to Huntington Bank Stadium last season and blew up Fleck & Co’s top-ranked passing defense to the tune of 9 receptions and 104 receiving yards. For Tai, though, it was just another day at the office.

Last season, the Maryland Terrapin star posted 1,124 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 96 receptions last year. Even with defenses keying in on him week in and week out, Tai Felton outpaced Maryland’s next most prolific receiver (Kaden Prather) by 500 yards, 5 touchdowns and 40 receptions.

Whether Jordan Addison gets a suspension for his “wet reckless” charge or not, Minnesota will need more than three capable wide receivers. Both Rondale Moore and Silas Bolden seem better ticketed for special teams duties. Felton has the talent to not only take over the third role, but make Addison expendable once his rookie deal expires.

It can be a slow burn for wide receivers as they acclimate to the speed of the next level. We’ll see how long it takes Felton, but him standing out during training camp and the preseason shouldn’t be a shock.

Max Brosmer (24 years old) – Quarterback

Minnesota Vikings Minicamp - Quarterbacks including Max Brosmer
Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

As stated, the Minnesota Vikings are J.J. McCarthy’s team. Still, head coach Kevin O’Connell has been forced to cycle through quarterbacks in recent seasons, whether that be due to offseason changes or in-season injuries.

This offseason, the Vikings traded for Sam Howell, and they love what Brett Rypien brings to the QB room. But really, there is no veteran quarterback currently on the roster who is coming into camp preordained as McCarthy’s backup.

As a one-and-done Gopher in 2024, Brosmer threw for 2,828 yards at a 66.5% completion rate, hitting on 18 touchdown passes and just 6 interceptions. Had he remained college eligible for one more year in maroon and gold, there is little doubt he would have left owning most of the passing record on campus.

Related: Max Brosmer Already Turning Heads Inside MN Vikings Organization

If he’s half the talent/person/worker/leader that Minnesota Gophers head coach PJ Fleck hails him to be, then there’s really no reason undrafted free agent signee Max Brosmer can’t work his way into the regular season QB room, should the Vikings ponder keeping a third QB active on game days.

Instead, he finds himself fighting for his football life in Eagan. Of course, it’s not fair to expect the world from Brosmer, and it’s difficult to write seriously about him competing for the backup QB job, at least for now. That said, he has all the tools, including a brilliant football mind, of a solid future QB2 in the league.

And there is no doubt he has already impressed Vikings coaches and others around the organization early and often, which has resulted in some chatter over whether or not he can secure the third quarterback role.

At the least, the 24-year-old former New Hampshire (FCS) superstar has a great opportunity to make MN Vikings coaches think twice about relegating him to the practice squad, where it’ll be easier for other teams to snipe him from the roster.

If nothing else, he’ll get time to show his capabilities as an NFL QB during the preseason, where he should get plenty of run. From there, it’s all up to him… and that’s usually good news for Brosmer, who’s been successfully betting big on himself or years, at multiple levels.

Justin Skule (28 years old) – Offensive Tackle

Christian Darrisaw is the Minnesota Vikings starting left tackle. There are no questions about that. The problem is that he may not be completely ready to go. Darrisaw suffered a torn MCL and ACL last October against the Los Angeles Rams. He is back on the field practicing, but the Vikings are going to be smart.

Last season with Darrisaw went down Minnesota reacted by trading for veteran tackle Cam Robinson. This time around they are a bit more prepared with veteran tackle Justin Skule signing as a free agent this offseason.

Skule was a sixth round pick in 2019 and has 66 games (17 starts) under his belt. He played in all 17 games each of the past two seasons with Tampa Bay, and made five starts for Todd Bowles last year.

Related: MN Vikings Front Seven Ranked… No. 1 in NFL?

It’s possible that second-year tackle Walter Rouse winds up being a usable offensive lineman in the pros. We don’t know that yet. We do know that Skule is already a usable offensive lineman, and he can slide in for Darrisaw until the star is ready to roll.

Last season Skule graded out as the 43rd (of 140) tackle in the league. He’s neutral in run and pass block scenarios, and not going to light the world on fire. With a level of uncertainty about Darrisaw though, it’s good that Minnesota hedged their bet early. He should get plenty of first team work during training camp.

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