The college football season is on the horizon, and given how much adversity the Minnesota Vikings have faced this offseason, many fans are already looking toward the 2025 NFL Draft. That’s usually a practice held by fans of a losing team in late November, not late August.
The NFL is one of the most sporadic leagues in the world, where luck and success don’t carry on from one season to the next. For that reason, I’m holding my judgment on how good or bad the Vikings will be this season. For all we know, they might be on their way to a top playoff spot four months from now. That’s beside the point; this exercise simply highlights three prospects the Vikings should keep an eye on as the 2024-2025 college football season begins.
CB/WR Travis Hunter
Deion Sanders’ golden boy, a superstar on both sides of the ball, and everything in between. Hunter shocked the college football world two years ago when he flipped his commitment from Florida State University to Jackson State University.
As the No. 1 recruit in the country, this came as a huge surprise. The reason? His admiration for former NFL superstar Sanders, who is now the head coach for the University of Colorado-Boulder after coaching at Jackson State from 2020 to 2022.
Hunter is 6’1”, 185 lbs. and plays cornerback and wide receiver. Many believe it’ll be tough for him to play both positions in the NFL, and the growing consensus is that he’ll be a cornerback at the next level. That means he’s a logical target for the Vikings, who haven’t had a lockdown corner since Xavier Rhodes in 2019.
Hunter had 57 catches, 721 yards, and five TDs as a receiver. He also had 31 tackles, five passes deflected, and three interceptions as a corner in only nine games played last season. He’s arguably the most popular player in college football and will undoubtedly be a top-10 pick come April 2025. If the Vikings end up being so bad that they have the chance to draft this kid, it’ll make everything hurt a little bit less.
Week 1: Thursday, August 29 vs. North Dakota State University
DT Deone Walker
Walker may be my favorite of the bunch. Standing at 6’6”, 344 lbs., he has intimidating size. He looks like a man among boys at the collegiate level, and his size will still stand out in the NFL.
The Detroit native was a bully on the field last season for the Kentucky Wildcats, putting up 51 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, two passes deflected, and 7.5 sacks in 13 games. Those numbers would be impressive for a senior edge rusher, but for a sophomore defensive tackle, he blows everyone else out of the water.
Walker is unbelievably agile for his size, arguably making him the most versatile defensive lineman in all of college football. If he can’t beat you with his size and power, which he often does, he will beat you with his quick feet and ability to shed blockers.
The Vikings desperately need interior defensive line help, and Walker is the best player at the position. Watching him line up between Jonathan Greenard and Dallas Turner would be eye candy for Vikings fans and would undoubtedly put fear into opposing offensive lines.
Week 1: Saturday, August 31 vs. Southern Mississippi
CB Benjamin Morrison
The Fighting Irish cornerback is speedy, aggressive, and has swagger. Since his freshman year, Morrison has been a stud, holding future star receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to 32 yards on three catches in 2023 and Jordan Addison to 45 yards on three catches during the 2022 season.
The focal point of Morrison’s play is his inherent ability to get his hands on the ball, whether he’s intercepting passes, deflecting passes, or punching the ball out of the receiver’s hands. Morrison’s agility and footwork enable him to stay on the receiver’s hip in man-to-man coverage effectively.
His physicality and tackling prowess make him super valuable in run support, which is one of the main traits cornerbacks need to possess to stick in the NFL. Morrison put up 31 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes deflected in 12 games during the 2023 season. He’s fearless on the field, and although he might not live up to Travis Hunter, he’s the same caliber of player.
Week 1: Saturday, August 31 vs. Texas A&M
Others to watch: CB Will Johnson, DT Mason Graham, CB Denzel Burke, and CB Tacario Davis.
We don’t know whether these three players will be available for the Vikings. Still, it’s evident that this team needs cornerback and interior defensive line help, and these guys are some of the most talented players available in April 2025.
