The Minnesota Vikings have gotten themselves into an enviable position headed into the 2025 draft. Instead of looking for starters who can contribute from Day 1, they are looking for players who can fill depth roles and contribute.
While they have some obvious needs – competition at the left guard, corner, and safety – WR3 has become overlooked.
Jalen Nailor filled in well when the Vikings asked him to step up in Jordan Addison‘s absence last season. However, he’s entering the last year of his contract, and Minnesota could always look for someone with more upside to add to the room to get younger and more explosive. The Vikings likely won’t draft a wide receiver in the first round, given that they are likely to trade back in the first round to add some middle-round capital. Still, it makes sense for them to look to the middle rounds to address wide receiver.
Jalen Royals from Utah State is one player the Vikings could look to add to their already impressive receiver room.
At 6’0”, 205 lbs, Royals has the size and frame to play in the NFL immediately. He also has the speed, running a 4.42 40-yard dash. That number may also undersell his speed because he ran the 40 right after recovering from a foot injury that ended his season last year. While Royals has NFL-level traits, some questions surround him, such as how he will translate to the next level.
At Utah State, Royals faced Mountain West competition and didn’t always thrive against FCS opponents. He had his two worst games of last season when he faced Utah and USC, recording just 44 and 47 yards, respectively. While this might be partly due to the poor quarterback play and Utah State’s offensive philosophy, scouts will likely factor it into their evaluations.
Royals was on a tear at Utah State this season, putting up 834 yards and six touchdowns in seven games before his season-ending injury. Before his foot injury, it looked like Royals had hit another level, putting up 211, 155, and 188 yards in his last three games.
While there are a lot of questions about Royals’ game, there are also many things to like. Royals’ unique speed allows him to win vertically, breezing past defenders as he stretches the field. This season, Royals averaged 15.2 yards per catch with an average depth of target of 9.2. He isn’t just someone who can win with straight-line speed, as he has various releases he can use to get open.
Though Royals’ speed is impressive on his vertical routes, his body control and spatial awareness are even more impressive. Utah State’s offense often pushed Royals out to the boundaries. They asked him to use an outside release on the sideline, where he had minimal room to operate, and come down with the pass inbounds.
Royals is also quite impressive in the screen game, as his combination of speed and his ability to make the first man miss in short areas makes him hard to bring down. Utah State often used Royals in tunnel screens and designed touches, where he recorded 150 yards.
Though Royals is great in both vertical and screen concepts and is a threat to score every time he touches the ball, his route tree is still underdeveloped at the intermediate level. While this might be because of how Utah State used him, it’s still an uncertainty about his game.
Royals has played both out wide and in the slot at Utah State, but, given his struggles against press, it would make sense for Kevin O’Connell to scheme him in the slot often, where he is likely to get more free releases.
His route running is crisp. Royals gets in and out of breaks with no problem. But while he could win on speed alone at the college level, how will he fare in the NFL when he is no longer the best athlete on the field? While the physical skills are there, the question is, are his technical skills up to par?
Though these uncertainties might scare some teams off Royals, I think they might be why the Vikings would want to draft him. Minnesota’s coaching staff seems to have bet on their ability to bring out the best in players who have flashed. If they continue this trend in the draft, Royals seems like the perfect type of player they could bring into the fold.
He provides a vertical element to the offense, allowing Addison, Jefferson, and Hockenson to operate underneath and in the intermediate areas, where they excel. He can also keep the safety honest and provide some juice in the screen game.
