As detailed yesterday at ZoneCoverage.com, Minnesota Vikings rookie Jack Tocho will be locked in a battle to make the roster as a safety.
If it doesn’t work out, however, he might have a future in media.
In college, Tocho hosted a YouTube talk show entitled “You Don’t Know Jack” for the North Carolina State team channel. It’s in the same vein as “Between Two Ferns” with host Zach Galifianakis in that it has a basic, two-person set and a host asking off-beat questions.
The cornerback was jokingly asked by NCSU media relations director Annabelle Myers if he wanted to host a show. “I was really just calling her bluff,” said Tocho. It turned into a recurring show that begin Sept. 12, 2014 and ended Dec. 8, 2016.
“We wanted to do something that highlights the players in a way the fans usually don’t get to see,” said Tocho, who said his media career is on the backburner for now.
As far as on the field, Tocho is amidst a transition from corner to safety that is requiring him to communicate and react more quickly with the rest of the defense.
Tocho knew throughout the pre-draft process that he’d be considered a safety by many NFL teams, but he was surprised how quickly the Vikings made the switch. He remembers getting the long-awaited call from Minnesota late in the seventh round on April 29. “‘Are you ready to be a Viking?'” Tocho remembers hearing, followed by, “‘You’re going to move to safety. Is that OK?'”
The Vikings haven’t asked Tocho to put on any extra weight. They have, however, asked him to watch film on the team’s safeties last year. He’s also been working with recently-signed rookie Tommy Armstrong Jr., who is embarking on an even tougher transition, going from quarterback to safety.
Tocho officially signed his rookie contract on Tuesday.
