MN Vikings Elevate Promising Rookie for Debut

This week, the Minnesota Vikings are gearing up for a rivalry matchup against the Green Bay Packers. Despite Matt LaFleur’s squad being playoff-bound, the Vikings enter as favorites, largely because Green Bay is expected to rest its starters. Kevin O’Connell’s group is well-positioned even if J.J. McCarthy is unavailable.

Minnesota is dealing with its own wave of injuries, but that opens the door for depth pieces to step into the spotlight. Cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn flashed during the preseason, and now he’ll get his first opportunity in a regular-season game.

Zemaiah Vaughn Signed to Roster by Minnesota Vikings

Last week, the Vikings were without three of their five starting offensive lineman, a theme that has persisted all season. On the defensive side, cornerback Jeff Okudah hasn’t played since Week 8, continuing the injury issues that have followed the former third overall pick. Dwight McGlothern has already seen meaningful snaps, and now Vaughn will join him.

The #Vikings have signed CB Zemaiah Vaughn to the 53-man roster and placed DL Elijah Williams on IR. pic.twitter.com/mmByXBv8XM

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 29, 2025

Vaughn is a 23-year-old native of Beaumont, Texas. He went undrafted but has remained with Minnesota through steady work on the practice squad.

During his college career, Vaughn appeared in 56 games for Kyle Whittingham’s Utah Utes. He totaled three interceptions, forced two fumbles, and recorded 144 tackles. At 6’3″ Vaughn brings the size needed to match ip with bigger-bodied NFL wide receivers.

Zemaiah Vaughn locking it DOWN 🔒pic.twitter.com/OlnIi7XjNr

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) August 14, 2025

It’s unlikely that Brian Flores will deploy Vaughn for significant defensive snaps, but this weekend provides a chance for him to build a case for a spot on the 2026 roster. After entering the season with just three cornerbacks on the 53-man roster, Minnesota now finishes the year with five.

Williams, a fellow undrafted rookie out of Morgan State, has already appeared in seven games for the Vikings. He recorded nine total tackles while logging 42 defensive snaps and 29 on special teams.

The Vikings don’t need to worry about the results on Sunday, though a win would secure a 9-8 finish. One thing that does matter, however, is getting Justin Jefferson the 53 receiving yards he needs to reach 1,000 for the season.