Vikings’ Playmaker Sends 3-Word Message After Draft Decision

“Wherever you put the ball in my hands, I’m gonna make defenders miss. And my goal, my intention is to go score,” Felton told reporters on April 25. “It’s just awesome to be able to get in that building and be able to work with the people that I get to work with.”

Felton recorded 96 receptions for 1,124 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Terrapins in 2024. He had a 76-1,083-8 line in his other three seasons combined before his breakout as a senior.

Draft Experts on Vikings WR Tai Felton

ESPN’s Steve Muench noted the Vikings’ current top wide receiver duo and how Felton could fit into the mix.

“Minnesota has two outstanding receivers in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Now it adds a potential upgrade over Jalen Nailor,” Muench wrote on April 25. “Felton is versatile enough to line up wide or work out of the slot for the Vikings, and he’s a good value at this point in the draft.”

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler ranked Felton as his WR19 and outside of his top 100 prospects.

“A natural field-stretcher, Felton can stay in the corner’s pocket before pulling away at the last moment, although his success rate was just 28.6 percent (eight catches on 28 targets) on throws of more than 20 yards in 2024. He can avoid contact with his quick feet, but his mediocre play strength stands out and hurts his ability to play through contact mid-route and at the catch point,” Brugler wrote on April 9.

“Felton has the explosive speed to be a weapon in the quick game and downfield, which gives him NFL starting potential as a Z receiver. His special teams experience will only boost his chances of cementing a spot on an NFL depth chart.”

NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein figured that Felton is a likely backup who could be best-suited for a role on special teams, which the wideout said was a strength, from the outset.

“Tall, slender wideout whose impressive 2024 production appears to be more a function of target volume than projectable talent. Felton is a linear route runner who will struggle with tight press and physical man coverage inside the route,” Zierlein wrote. “He can build speed inside long strides and has proven he can make tacklers miss, creating chunk plays on possession throws. He lacks functional strength and rarely owns the catch space when contested.”

Felton’s role with the Vikings is unclear.

Tai Felton a Contingency Plan

The Vikings like Nailor. Felton may represent a potential upgrade for the Vikings over the 2022 sixth-round pick (No. 161), Nailor. That does not mean the latter is at risk of losing his spot.

Nailor is entering the final year of his contract, though.

Felton can also serve as a long-term contingency plan for the 2023 first-round pick, Addison. He is enduring ongoing legal troubles stemming from an arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence in LA in July 2024.

Addison could still face suspension.

If that happens this season, Felton also could soften the blow as Nailor steps into a more prominent role. However, there have not been any indications that that is the case for Addison.