Vikings standouts from Pro Football Focus grades include Jalen Nailor and a UDFA linebacker
The Minnesota Vikings got their first preseason win since the 2019 season with a 24-23 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The game had some ups and downs but it starts and ends with a discussion surrounding rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. You wanted to see McCarthy come out and thrive early on and he did […]
The Minnesota Vikings got their first preseason win since the 2019 season with a 24-23 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The game had some ups and downs but it starts and ends with a discussion surrounding rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
You wanted to see McCarthy come out and thrive early on and he did just that. However, it took him a minute as he finished his first drive with an interception. It didn't last long as he proceeded to lead the Vikings on three touchdown drives.
Soon after the game, Pro Football Focus released their grades and these four stood out on offense.
WR Jalen Nailor
Could things go any better for Nailor than they are right now? He is currently the clubhouse leader for the open WR3 job and he would have to crater to lose it. Now, injuries have been a major factor for Nailor but that didn't deter him from balling out.
He led the entire Vikings offense with a PFF grade of 85.0 and an 82.0 in receiving grade. Catching three passes for 63 yards on just 11 receiving reps will spike that number considerably. He wasn't just catching passes, Nailor was creating a lot of separation and making things easy for his quarterback.
WR Trishton Jackson
Nailor wasn't the only wide receiver to see success on Saturday, as Jackson thrived in his own right. He consistently got open and made waves. Jackson played mostly with J.J. McCarthy and they had a connection.
It started with McCarthy hitting Jackson on a deep crossing route for 24 yards and peaked when they connected on a 45-yard touchdown. Jackson was brilliant in doing so, as he baited the cornerback's blind spot perfectly on a double move. His overall grade of 81.9 and a staggering 84.9 receiving grade is evidence of that.
ILB Dallas Gant
The inside linebacker position is in major flux after the starters Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. After that, it's a mixed bag with Brian Asamoah II and Kamu Grugier-Hill being the likely backups.
Don't count out Gant in that conversation. Viewed coming out of Toledo as a special teams maven, Gant showed out well on Saturday. He posted a defensive grade of 81.3 especially thriving against the run with a grade of 77.4. Is his success the manifestation of playing against lower levels of competition or is there something there? It's worth keeping an eye on.
DT Jaquelin Roy
Things weren't all sunshine and rainbows for the Vikings. Some players who were expected to stand out didn't accomplish much at all. One of those players is Roy who the Vikings are expecting to step up in his second season with the Vikings.
A fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Roy was once viewed as a potential first-round pick but slid after a poor season in 2022 with the LSU Tigers. After some inconsistent practices, Roy struggled in the game. He posted a PFF grade of just 39.7 with a run defense grade of 49.6. His grade being so poor looks to be mostly reflected with his coverage grade of 37.7 and tackling grade of 36.1. It's not a nail in the coffin for Roy, but he needs to take a step forward.
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