Who Are The Vikings Undrafted Free Agents?

K.J. Cloyd LB Miami

When one K.J. (Osborn) from Miami leaves, another one replaces him. Cloyd played his final season in Miami after playing three seasons at Louisville. He played in all games for the Hurricanes, starting in half of them. At Miami’s pro day, he ran an average 40-yard dash but had an elite 10-yard and 20-yard split. Cloyd is one of many linebackers added in undrafted free agency, so odds are one of them makes the team.

Jeremy Flax OT Kentucky

A juco product who started at Independence Community College for two years- the second school highlighted in Last Chance U- Flax turned himself into a top-10 juco recruit and committed to Kentucky. Throughout the draft process, he was invited to the Hula Bowl and Senior Bowl. He has good size for a tackle, but all the rest of his testing was well below average.

Dallas Gant LB Toledo

The easiest way to make a roster as a UDFA is through special teams (exhibit A Najee Thompson) Gant has tons of special teams experience throughout his six years of college. Starting at Ohio State and transferring to his hometown Toledo after four years, Gant earned First Team All-MAC honors both years at Toledo, leading the Rockets in tackles both years. At Toledo’s pro day, he tested well in the 40-yard dash, along with the vertical and broad jumps, but poorly in the agility drills. 

Devron Harper WR Mercer

Starting at Gardner-Webb and transferring to Mercer after a season, Harper played his last three seasons of college ball at Mercer. Harper broke six school records his Junior year at Mercer, which earned him a unanimous First Team All-SoCon selection. He has punt and kick return versatility, returning one of each for a touchdown in 2022. His senior year didn’t have as much production as the year before, but his return-specialist background gives him a chance to crack this roster. Besides a great 20-yard split, he tested average to poorly at every other drill. Harper will compete with kick-returner Kene Nwangwu and punt returner Brandon Powell. If Powell wins the wide receiver three job, that punt returner job could be wide open. 

Ty James WR Mercer

Double-dipping at receivers from Mercer, the Vikings are getting a two-time finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is given to the best offensive player in Division I FCS. During his four-year collegiate career, all of which came at Mercer, he racked up over 3,000 receiving yards. At Mercer’s pro day, James tested above average at everything except the 3-cone drill. Opposed to his Mercer teammate, James’ best bet at making this roster is at receiver, and anything extra he could give on special teams is the cherry on top.

Jeshaun Jones WR Maryland

Jones spent his six-year collegiate career entirely with the Terrapins, playing in five of them. He had almost 800 receiving yards his senior year, and sparingly returning punts. Jones was invited to the Hula Bowl in the pre-draft process. At Maryland’s pro day, Jones tested above average in every drill except the vertical jump. He’s a very solid athlete who has every chance to sneak onto the roster.

Trey Knox TE South Carolina

Knox spent four years at Arkansas before using his final year of eligibility and transferring to South Carolina, where he earned All-SEC Second Team honors. A wide receiver at Arkansas, Knox made the switch to tight end at South Carolina. Knox has the longest arms of any tight end that measured at the combine and was invited to the Hula Bowl. Knox is an undersized tight end who didn’t test great in the agility drills but did well in the jumps. He’ll have every chance to compete with another former Gamecock Nick Muse for the third tight end spot.

Tyler Manoa DL Arizona

Manoa played five seasons with UCLA before transferring to Arizona for his last year of eligibility. He started 12 games for the Wildcats and played in 13. Manoa tested well in the vertical and broad jumps but did poorly in everything else. He’s not the most intriguing of this batch of undrafted players, but with the interior-defensive line being one of the weakest spots on the team, Manoa has a shot to make this roster.

Donovan Manuel LB Florida International

Before transferring to FIU Manuel spent four years at East Tennessee, where he earned All-SoCon First Team honors his sophomore year. Manuel broke FIU’s single-season forced fumbles record with five. Manuel recorded 121 tackles in his senior season, which ranked 13th in the nation. While undersized at linebacker, Manuel tested well in good to elite in everything except the 40-yard dash. Manuel’s athleticism and tackling give him a chance to make this roster, either on defense or special teams.

Dwight McGlothern CB Arkansas

One of the highlights of the UDFA class, McGlothern split his time at LSU and then transferred to Arkansas. Standing at 6’5” McGlothern started in 25 games over four seasons including all 13 his junior year, when he earned Second Team All-SEC honors. A concussion held him out of three games his senior season, but still led the team in interceptions and passes defended. While having great height for the position and an above-average 40-yard dash, his vertical and broad jumps were both well below average. Many of the pre-draft big boards from media members had a draftable grade on McGlothern, and he’ll have a solid shot to be a depth corner either on the practice squad or roster.

Gabriel Murphy OLB UCLA

Viewed by many as the most talented player to go undrafted in this entire batch of UDFAs, Murphy is as big of a UDFA signing as you can get. Starting all 26 games over two seasons at UCLA, and playing three seasons at North Texas before transferring, Murphy both rushed the passer and dropped back into coverage. His senior season was the most productive, where he tallied 16 tackles for loss along with 8 sacks. Between both UCLA’s pro day and at the combine, Murphy posted elite scores at every drill. What almost certainly pushed him to UDFA status is his lack of size. His height, weight and arm length are all well below average. If defensive coordinator Brian Flores has a plan to use his athletic prowess that can simultaneously mask his lack of size, this could be a home run signing.

Doug Nester OL West Virginia

Making 41 starts at right guard and switching to right tackle his senior year, he has flexibility on the right side of the offensive line, with 52 starts between Virginia Tech and West Virginia. Nester was an All-Big 12 honorable mention his senior year and was invited to both the Hula Bowl and Shrine Bowl. Nester tested well in the vertical and broad jumps but did poorly in the 40-yard dash and agility drills. His guard/tackle flexibility gives him an upper hand in a camp battle to push for a roster spot or make the practice squad.

Owen Porter OLB Marshall

Spending the entirety of his five-year career at Marshall (which may have had a hall-of-fame receiver the Vikings drafted in 1998 you may remember) Porter really started producing his redshirt junior season when he started all 13 games for the Herd, tallying 9.5 sacks and forcing two fumbles. He had similar production tackle production his senior year but only had five sacks. At Marshall’s pro day, he repped 30 times on the bench press, which would’ve easily been first had he been invited to the combine. His 40-yard dash was great, but his 10-yard split was below average, and everything else he tested in showed he’s a capable NFL athlete. Like Gabriel Murphy, with the right coaching, he can be an NFL player.

Bo Richter LB Air Force

Richter spent his entire five-year collegiate career at Air Force, only playing in three of those seasons due to being redshirted during his freshman year and Covid-19 causing him to sit out in 2020. While spot-starting his sophomore and junior years, his senior year was when he took off. Starting in 12 of the 13 games, Richter had 19.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and forced three fumbles. This earned him First Team All-MWC honors. He has below-average arm length and height for a linebacker, but his bench press, jumps and 40-yard dash time were all elite. His athletic profile sets him apart from other UDFAs, and he could make enough plays, either on defense or special teams, to crack the roster.

Spencer Rolland OT North Carolina

The Burnsville, Minnesota native committed to Harvard out of high school and transferred to North Carolina for two graduate seasons. Blocking for third-overall pick Drake Maye, Rolland started 26 games over his two seasons for the Tar Heels. He was named an All-ACC honorable mention for the 2023 season. On North Carolina’s pro day, Rolland tested poorly in the shuttle drill but was above average in everything else. Rolland will compete for a backup tackle position and is a great candidate for the practice squad.

Taki Taimani IDL Oregon

Spending his first four years at Washington and transferring to Oregon for his final two, Taimani was your prototypical run-stuffing, big-bodied defensive tackle. Taimani started in 9 of Oregon’s 14 games his senior season, where he produced 22 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss. A below-average athlete, Taimani has an uphill battle to make this roster, but if any position is needed, it’s the interior defensive line.\