Five Undrafted Free Agents Who Could Make the Vikings' 53-Man Roster

Two specialists and three linebackers stand out as possible surprises for the Vikings' initial roster.

10 of the 90 players on the Vikings' current roster are undrafted rookies. By nature, those players are longshots to make the 53-man roster when training camp wraps up a little over three months from now.

But it's far from impossible. They'll have a shot to impress the Vikings' coaches and front office personnel just like everyone else, a process that has already begun with rookie minicamp and the first few OTA practices. Training camp and preseason games in August will offer more opportunities to earn a job, whether that's on the initial roster or the practice squad. In 2020, UDFA wide receiver Dan Chisena used his speed to make the 53-man roster and carve out a role on special teams.

Here are five UDFAs who could make the Vikings' initial roster this year (or at least stick around on the practice squad).

Gabe Brkic, K, Oklahoma

The path to Brkic making the roster is a lot simpler than it is for other players because he only has to beat out one guy: incumbent veteran kicker Greg Joseph. Brkic, who was signed by the Vikings earlier this month, made 82.6 percent of his field goal attempts at Oklahoma and missed just one of 160 career extra point attempts. He has a big leg, making five of seven attempts from at least 50 yards last season, including two makes from 56. Brkic was Dane Brugler's top undrafted kicker in the 2022 draft class.

Joseph bounced back nicely from a slow start last season and led the NFL in touchback percentage on kickoffs, but he did miss five field goals and four extra points. He signed a one-year restricted free agent tender worth $2.4 million this offseason, but none of that is guaranteed. Joseph is the favorite, but this will be a legitimate competition that Brkic could win.

Ryan Wright, P, Tulane

The same logic also applies to Wright, who will attempt to beat out veteran Jordan Berry for the Vikings' punting job. The 6'3", 245-pound Tulane product finished tied for fourth in the NCAA FBS last year with a 44.5-yard net average on his punts. Berry was a very average punter for the Vikings last year, which likely means he'll retain his job this year — but similar to kicker, this will be a legit competition.

Luiji Vilain, EDGE, Wake Forest

In addition to having a cool name, Vilain might have the best chance of any non-specialist UDFA to crack the Vikings' 53-man roster this year. For starters, he plays a position where the Vikings don't have much proven depth behind stars Danielle Hunter and Za'Darius Smith. Vilain will compete with D.J. Wonnum, Patrick Jones II, Esezi Otomewo, Janarius Robinson, and Kenny Willekes for a roster spot as a backup edge rusher. Then there's the fact that the Vikings gave Vilain $227,000 in guaranteed money to sign him after the draft, which doesn't hurt his chances.

After four years as a seldom-used player at Michigan, Vilain transferred to Wake Forest and broke out with 9 sacks and three forced fumbles. He's an explosive athlete who has the physical tools to potentially develop into something interesting. At the very least, I'd imagine Vilain will stick around on the practice squad. You can never have too many pass rushers.

Zach McCloud, LB/EDGE, Miami

McCloud's case is similar to Vilain's. The former Miami captain actually got even more guaranteed money at $250,000. He spent six seasons with the Hurricanes and set a career high with 5.5 sacks last year after moving from linebacker to defensive end. McCloud's athletic traits aren't as impressive as Vilain's and it's unclear if the Vikings view him as an off-ball LB or an edge rusher, but that guaranteed money and his versatility give him a chance.

William Kwenkeu, LB, Temple

Kwenkeu has already impressed the Vikings' coaching staff once. He wasn't part of their initial UDFA haul, but was signed after attending rookie minicamp as a tryout player. He's another guy who spent six years in college and had his best year in 2021, posting career-highs in tackles (51), tackles for loss (11), and sacks (3). Kwenkeu has the elite ten-yard split that the Vikings love, as well as a strong three-cone drill. He'll look to beat out players like Blake Lynch, Chazz Surratt, Troy Dye, Ryan Connelly, and McCloud for a roster spot as a backup linebacker. As with all players competing for backup jobs, special teams will be an important part of the evaluation process.

The five other 2022 UDFAs:

• Thomas Hennigan, WR, App State
• Josh Sokol, C, Sacred Heart
• Mike Brown, S, Miami (Ohio)
• Bryant Koback, RB, Toledo
• Tyarise Stevenson, DT, Tulsa

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