Minnesota Vikings signed award-winning player the rest of the NFL forgot to draft
After four years of having UDFA Ryan Wright as their punter, the future of that position could be another undrafted player.
The first NFL Draft under interim general manager Rob Brzezinski was a successful one. They landed nine selections to improve the depth of the football team.
- Round 1, No. 15: Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
- Round 2, No. 51: Jake Golday, LB, Cincinnati
- Round 3, No. 82: Domonique Orange, DT, Iowa State
- Round 3, No. 97: Caleb Tiernan, OT, Northwestern
- Round 3, No. 98: Jakobe Thomas, S, Miami (FL)
- Round 5, No. 159: Max Bredeson, TE/FB, Michigan
- Round 5, No. 163: Charles Demmings, CB, Stephen F. Austin
- Round 6, No. 198: Demond Claiborne, RB, Wake Forest
- Round 7, No. 235: Gavin Gerhardt, C, Cincinnati
Minnesota Vikings find hidden gem in undrafted free agency
One of the important aspects of the NFL Draft is finding talent in undrafted free agency. Over the last four years, 15 UDFAs have made the opening day roster. With the 19 players the Vikings have signed this year, there aren’t any who finished in the top 200 of consensus, like in previous years. Even so, the Vikings found a potential hidden gem.
While the punter position isn’t one that gets attention often, it’s an important one. Being able to flip the field makes things much easier for your defense and it can help the offense get better field position. Plus, they have the ever-crucial job of holding on field goals and extra points.
Even though the Vikings signed Johnny Hekker to a one-year deal, his future with the franchise isn’t guaranteed. They brought in competition for him with Georgia Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson.
Where there is intrigue with Thorson is how consistent he’s been throughout his career. He has a career average of 45.6 yards/punt, including a career-high of 47.6 yards in 2024. He won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter in college football, and some of the underlying metrics are good.
- 24 punts (52.2%) inside the 20
- Four returns allowed for 19 yards
- 25 fair catches, nine punts downed
- Four touchbacks
He’s got a powerful leg at 240 pounds and unleashes it from all over the field.
With Hekker finishing below average in most areas last season with the Tennessee Titans, Thorson could be a plus addition on special teams, and one that goes under the radar.