With the draft in the rearview mirror, teams are bringing in undrafted free agents. The Vikings added 17 players to their offseason roster via the UDFA route; here is Minnesota’s class:
- Matt Cindric, OL (Cal)
- K.J. Cloyd, LB (Miami)
- Jeremy Flax, OL (Kentucky)
- Dallas Gant, LB (Toledo)
- Devron Harper, WR (Mercer)
- Ty James, WR (Mercer)
- Jeshaun Jones, WR (Maryland)
- Trey Knox, TE (South Carolina)
- Tyler Manoa, DL (Arizona)
- Donovan Manuel, LB (Florida International)
- Dwight McGlothern, CB (Arkansas)
- Gabriel Murphy, EDGE (UCLA)
- Doug Nester, OL (West Virginia)
- Owen Porter, EDGE (Marshall)
- Bo Richter, EDGE (Air Force)
- Spencer Rolland, OL (North Carolina)
- Taki Taimani, DL (Oregon)
Not exactly a hotbed for NFL talent, Mercer will send two wide receivers to the same team. These two pass catchers are the second and third Mercer products to land an NFL opportunity in the past decade. James is the Division I-FCS program’s all-time receiving leader; he earned first-team All-American honors in 2023. The former Georgia recruit surpassed 1,100 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, adding 20 receiving TDs. Operating as an all-purpose player, Harper combined for four return scores for the Bears. Harper set a school record with 78 grabs alongside James last season.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. ranked Knox as this draft class’ No. 205 overall prospect; he is heading to Minneapolis after five college seasons (the recent norm for UDFAs due to the COVID-19 waiver). After four seasons at Arkansas, Knox transferred to South Carolina. He caught 37 passes for 312 yards and two TDs last season. Murphy was part of UCLA’s Laiatu Latu-led edge-rushing contingent. After a 7.5-sack 2021 season, he registered eight — along with 16 tackles for loss — last year. Murphy will attempt to make a Vikings team that is revamping on the edge, bringing in Jonathan Greenard and first-rounder Dallas Turner after losing Danielle Hunter, D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport.
Gant is a former four-star recruit who transferred from Ohio State, earning first-team All-MAC honors after heading north to Toledo. Rolland — a Harvard transfer — started as one of Drake Maye‘s pass protectors for the past two seasons, while Cindric started 17 games at center and 17 more at guard at Cal.
Very surprised Gabriel Murphy wasn’t drafted. Probably not a starter in the NFL, but he wouldn’t need to be for them.