This year’s Vikings draft class is headlined by boom-or-bust prospect Caleb Banks, who has all the size and athleticism in the world but lacks the college production and has significant injury concerns.
After his selection, the franchise adjusted its strategy and picked players who appeared safer. With the second-round pick, the club acquired Cincinnati’s linebacker Jake Golday. An intriguing college player with experience on the edge and as an off-ball linebacker is just the athlete Brian Flores can unlock at the next level.
His role in the new defense remains a mystery. He might just sneak into the lineup as an off-ball linebacker, such as Blake Cashman, but some have likened him to pass-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and could see him thrive in a hybrid role.
Regardless, Golday, like all rookies, isn’t a sure thing. The draft is a lottery and even prospects that are labeled “generational” can fail.
Golday’s former coach doesn’t foresee him failing, however. Alec Lewis of The Athletic shared an anecdote:
Cort Braswell, the linebackers coach at Cincinnati, said one NFL linebackers coach asked him an interesting question during the draft evaluation process: “If I come back here in five years, and Jake Golday didn’t make it, why would that be?”
Braswell paused.
“That’s a really good question. Nobody has asked that.”
After a few seconds of thought, he said, “If he doesn’t make it, it’s your fault.”
“What do you mean?” the coach responded.
Braswell said, “There’s nothing you can put in front of him that he cannot accomplish.”
Some players land in unfortunate situations. That can’t be said about Golday, though, who was hand-picked by a defensive mastermind for his attacking system. Versatile and smart players generally thrive in the NFL, but Flores can especially unlock their skill sets.
Golday, 22, was a zero-star recruit and headed to Central Arkansas, where he lined up on the edge for a couple of years before moving to linebacker. After his three years playing at a lower level, he transferred to Cincinnati, where he continued his linebacker journey.
In his two seasons in the Big 12, he registered 163 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks. His athletic profile was one of the best in this year’s draft class, helping him generate second-round interest from the Vikings.
Golday is expected to start out in the linebacker position early in his career.
At the rookie minicamp, head coach Kevin O’Connell said, “We’ve got some thoughts on how the ultimate picture may look, but you want to allow [Jake] — because he’s doing it physically from today on — you want to allow him to get comfortable in a spot before maybe you start throwing multiple things at him.”
The next item on his agenda is to get comfortable with the linebacker duties, while other responsibilities could follow later in his NFL journey. The first-year player is ready to put in the work required for that jump.
The rookie commented, “I’m going to spend as much time as I need in the playbook to make sure I know all the positions so that I can be put at any spot on the field [and] so I don’t have to be taken off the field.”
At linebacker, the Vikings have starters Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson returning for another season, but injury struggles, age and contract duration could open the door for Golday to assume one of the linebacker spots sooner rather than later.
If he isn’t needed in one specific position, he can still be a piece in Flores’ defensive puzzle as a rotational and situational linebacker and rusher. Flores experimented with Wilson on the edge a year ago, which would vacate a linebacker spot.
One thing is clear: The Vikings didn’t draft him to sit on the bench for years to come; he will see playing time early in his career. It’s just a matter of where.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
