The Minnesota Vikings are poised to sign UFL standout defensive tackle Jalen Redmond, which could pay dividends on the defense but also came at the expense of undrafted rookie receiver Devron Harper.
Shortly after the Vikings announced the release of Harper on June 17, Houston Texans beat reporter Aaron Schultz of NBC affiliate KPRC2 Houston, reported that the Vikings are preparing to sign Redmond, a day ahead of the window to officially sign UFL players.
A former star at Oklahoma, Redmond went undrafted in 2023 despite an impressive performance at the combine boosting his draft stock to Day 3 territory. The Carolina Panthers signed Redmond last spring but released him before the end of training camp.
Redmond ultimately landed with the Arlington Renegades for the 2024 spring season and carved out a reputation as one of the league’s most dominant interior pass-rushers.
Harper was buried beneath a crowded wide receiver room but had the potential to carve out a role as the team’s punt returner after averaging 29.1 yards per return at Mercer in 2022.
PFF: Jalen Redmond Was the UFL’s Best Interior Defensive Lineman
In four games this spring with the Renegades, Redmond paced the league in several areas.
He posted five sacks in four games and compiled the highest pass-rush win rate (16%) among qualifying interior defensive linemen as the No. 1 player at his position, boasting a 90.3 Pro Football Focus defensive grade.
At 6-foot-2, 291 pounds, Redmond is on the smaller side for interior defensive linemen — but his speed can be exploited at the NFL level as well.
NFL.com lead draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Redmond to be drafted in the fifth round of the 2023 draft — aligning with his consensus rank as the 158th-best player in the draft.
From Zierlein:
Redmond’s NFL Scouting Combine testing was outstanding, as he displayed quickness and explosiveness that doesn’t always show up on his college tape.
He possesses plenty of toughness but moves on heavy feet. His lack of bend makes him a linear mover with limited playmaking potential.
While he might not fill up an NFL stat sheet, he does have the base strength for consideration as a rotational 4-3 nose tackle with some block-eating elements to his game.
Redmond figures to slot in as a rotational contributor in defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ 3-4 base scheme.
#90 Jalen Redmond was one of the most impactful defensive tackles in week 2. He made 4 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 additional pressures, and assisted on 2 run stops. @jalen_redmond #UFL #FullThrottle pic.twitter.com/DygeULjCBy
— Jonathan Clink (@JonathanClink) April 12, 2024
Vikings Beginning to Bolster Defensive Front
Since the departure of prime Linval Joseph in 2020, the Vikings’ defense has been burdened by an inability to stop the run and create pressure on the interior.
The Vikings showed interest in landing star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins in free agency but were outbid by the Las Vegas Raiders, who awarded him a massive $27.5 million-a-year contract.
The consolation of losing out on Wilkins is that the Vikings appear poised to splurge on the defensive front soon.
In the meantime, they’ve made some low-investment, upside signings this offseason.
Former 2019 first-round pick Jerry Tillery has looked the part in training camp and is atop most projected depth charts alongside Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard.
At 6-f00t-5 and 300 pounds, Jihad Ward has the length and strength to be a situational run-stuffer, often tasked with stopping bell cow backs for Wink Martindale’s defense with the New York Giants.
The Vikings hope to get more out of 2023 fifth-round pick Jaquelin Roy after he played in 12 games last season. They also re-signed fifth-year veteran James Lynch, who missed last season due to injury.
Redmond will likely begin training camp at the bottom of the depth chart with rookies Tyler Manoa, Levi Drake-Rodriguez and Taki Taimani.
