Minnesota Vikings Mr. Mankato: Top 10 candidates to win the prestigious award
This is the 13th year of the Mr. Mankato award, and there are some fascinating candidates to win it this year.
Minnesota Vikings training camp is here, and that means it’s time to talk about Mr. Mankato. The annual award highlights an under-the-radar player who shines during camp.
The 2026 roster features several intriguing candidates at wide receiver, cornerback, and along the defensive line, making this year’s race very compelling. The criteria are straightforward: a third-round pick or later who has played fewer than 100 offensive or defensive snaps. With that framework in place, here are my top 10 candidates to win the award.
History tells us what to look for
Looking at past winners helps quantify what positions are most likely to win the award. Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, K.J. Osborn, and Jalen Nailor all won the award as wide receivers. Of the 12 winners, five have been pass catchers, and two have been quarterbacks. The throughline is simple: players who touch the ball and make splash plays have the easiest path to winning. Cornerbacks rank next because of their ability to generate turnovers. Defensive linemen have a much harder time standing out, with Tashawn Bower in 2017 being the lone trench winner.
10. S Jacob Thomas
He went undrafted, but received $150,000 in fully guaranteed base salary, fourth highest among the Vikings’ undrafted free agents. The safety room has voids to fill with Harrison Smith still an unknown, Theo Jackson getting benched last year, and Jay Ward remains an unknown as a likely full-time starter. Thomas lacks elite speed, but his football IQ could help him carve out a role. Opportunity is the key ingredient here to win the award, as he will likely see a lot of preseason snaps.
9. RB Demond Claiborne
He can run, and his vision and cutback ability should thrive in the wider zone concepts Frank Smith is expected to bring. However, I have concerns about his ability to absorb contact at the NFL level, his pass blocking, and his receiving. He’ll look great in shorts, but the pads are where my worries start, and that’s why he ranks so low.
8. Zemaiah Vaughn
He played zero defensive snaps last year (only eight special teams snaps in Week 18), but he was impressive during last year’s camp. At 6-foot-2 with improved bulk, his tackling should improve, as it already displayed good form. The reason he’s this low is that he already showed me a lot last preseason. He’ll need to do significantly more to separate himself this time around.
7. CB Charles Demmings
A fifth-round pick out of the FCS level, Demings shined at the Senior Bowl against Power 4 competition. Because he came from the FCS level, it’s an important step to prove your game will translate. He stays in the hip pocket, attacks the football, and should get plenty of reps with the cornerback room lacking proven depth. If he makes a couple of interceptions in man coverage during camp, he’ll surge up this list.
6. TE Gavin Bartholomew
The 202nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft didn’t practice until Week 16 last year, so we genuinely don’t know what he is. That unknown works in his favor for this award. He’s a 6-foot-6, 245-pound H-back type with more pass-game aptitude than a pure blocker. Think of what Rhett Ellison did for the Vikings, but with more receiving upside. Working off a clean slate means anything impressive will resonate a little stronger.
5. S Jakobe Thomas
He’s a little tight-hipped, which concerns me long-term, but he plays a point-and-shoot style that should translate well as a run-stuffing safety. With the state of the safety room, Thomas will likely function as a second-team starter from the jump, guaranteeing significant reps during camp and the preseason.
4. WR Tai Felton
Last year’s third-round pick played only 46 offensive snaps compared to 295 on special teams. He’s 6-foot-2 with sub-4.4 speed, but he hasn’t shown the hip flexibility to make sharp cuts at the apex of routes. With Jauan Jennings brought in to be the third wide receiver, Felton needs to prove he belongs on offense. New general manager Nolan Teasley has zero connection to the pick. If Felton doesn’t show something, even with him proving to be an elite gunenr, his roster spot could be in jeopardy.
3. WR Dontae Fleming
Every time I watched him at practice last year, he made the most of his limited reps, whether it was winning a deep contested catch or hauling in a back-shoulder throw. He had a couple of preseason drops, which was frustrating, but the talent and athleticism are evident, and it earned him a practice squad spot. A second consecutive camp in the offense should only help. Fleming is my sneaky pick because nobody expects much from him, and this award has historically rewarded players who come from nowhere.
2. WR Dillon Bell
He’s the popular pick, and for good reason. Beat reporters have consistently noted that Bell looks different at practice. At just over 6 feet and 205 pounds with a 4.5 40-yard dash, he’s built like Deebo Samuel and plays with a physical nature. His college production was limited, but that was a Georgia problem, not a Bell problem. The only reason he’s not No. 1 is the weight of expectations. If Fleming or someone else produces comparable numbers without the hype, they could easily leapfrog him.
1. DL Elijah Williams
Williams played 42 snaps last year and held up well at the point of attack during the preseason and regular sesaon. He entered the draft process out of Morgan State at 6-foot-3, 273 pounds, and has since added significant mass that looks like good weight. That improved frame should help him generate the penetration he flashed in limited action last year. Even though I don’t think he keeps it long-term, I think Williams will earn a starting spot out of training camp. and if he has a 2024 Jalen Redmond-type training camp where he wrecks everything in sight, he’ll be impossible to ignore. He’s the rare defensive lineman with a real shot at this award, and I’m very bullish on what he can become.
