Former Michigan State Star Posting Crazy Numbers
When you think of the Minnesota Vikings' top weapons, you'll instantly think of Justin Jefferson. After all, he may already be one of the best wide receivers ever.
Fellow wideout Jordan Addison may also come to mind, and then you'll probably consider tight end T.J. Hockenson, who recently returned from a torn ACL.
But you probably wouldn't conjure up an image of former Michigan State Spartans star Jalen Nailor, who is clearly the Vikings' No. 3 receiver and isn't exactly a household name.
However, Nailor is beginning to carve out a very intriguing niche for himself within Minnesota's offense.
After logging a catch for 11 yards in the Vikings' Week 10 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Nailor now has 16 catches for 247 yards on the season.
Sounds pretty ordinary, right? Well, not when you take a deeper look.
Of Nailor's 16 receptions, an incredible 13 of them have resulted in first downs. He has also scored four touchdowns.
Consider this: Nailor is just one first down behind Addison — widely regarded as a terrific weapon — for second on the Vikings this season.
That is pretty incredible, especially when you take into account that Nailor accumulated just 12 catches over his first two NFL seasons combined.
Actually, want to hear something funny? Eight of those receptions moved the chains, as well, so that means 74 percent of Nailor's grabs have gone for first downs since entering the league in 2022.
Crazy for a guy most NFL fans outside of Minnesota and East Lansing don't even know exists, right?
Of course, Michigan State fans are very familiar with Nailor's explosiveness, as the 25-year-old led the Big Ten with 19.8 yards per catch in 2020. He then followed that up by averaging 18.8 yards per reception during his final season with the Spartans in 2021.
The Vikings selected Nailor in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and it's looking like quarterback Sam Darnold is beginning to develop some trust in the youngster.
Could Nailor ultimately assert himself as a reliable target week-to-week in Minnesota?
We'll see if the Palmdale, Ca. native can continue his impressive run as the 2024 NFL campaign progresses.
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