Since the Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the second round, people have compared rookie linebacker Jake Golday to Andrew Van Ginkel. Golday is 6’5”, 239 lbs., but lined up all over the field in college, much like Andrew Van Ginkel has done with the Vikings.
Last year, Golday stepped up to the defensive line 117 times, in the box 314 times, and in the slot 248 times. Although Van Ginkel’s pre-snap alignment was more static than in years past (538 of his 582 snaps started as a lineman), he rushed the passer 173 times while dropping into coverage on 135 others.
During OTAs, Kevin O’Connell compared Golday to Van Ginkel. “[Golday] has some of [Van Ginkel’s] characteristics,” he said. “We were fortunate enough to get him where we did.”
That could mean Van Ginkel’s presence keeps Golday off the field initially, assuming Golday’s path to playing time is eventually replacing Van Ginkel’s role.
Further complicating Golday’s path to the starting lineup is that Brian Flores has typically been hesitant to play, let alone start, rookies. Take, for instance, Dallas Turner, a player for whom Minnesota traded up in the 2024 draft. He didn’t become a full-time starter until this year after the Vikings traded Jonathan Greenard.
But could Golday’s unique blend of size, strength, and athleticism (4.62-second 40, 39” vertical at the combine) mean that, even if he can’t replace Van Ginkel in 2026, he can find his way onto the field in other ways?
Flores has notoriously embraced a unique defense since Minnesota hired him in 2023. That first season, no team blitzed more than the Vikings, nor did any team drop eight players into coverage more often.
Van Ginkel isn’t the only player Flores has used in a “positionless” spot. Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith are other high-end examples of defenders who Flores has lined up all over the field.
“I see spots on the field,” Flores told ESPN in 2024. “I don’t necessarily see, ‘That’s got to be a D-lineman, or that’s got to be a linebacker.'”
Metellus says Minnesota’s players have embraced Flores’ philosophy. He explained the brainstorming process to The Athletic.
“How can I put this in a way that most people would understand?” Metellus said. “It’s, like, when you’ve got a group of friends, and you’re trying to figure out what y’all are doing for the weekend. Everybody’s throwing out ideas.”
Getting this sort of buy-in from players allows them to build a positionless defense. Instead of forcing a player out of position by necessity, everyone is actively thinking creatively about how to get the team’s most talented individuals onto the field, regardless of what the traditional depth chart may suggest.
Helping Golday’s prospects of finding the field is that he already got reps during OTAs with the off-ball linebackers. Blake Cashman is also reportedly dealing with a lingering finger injury from last season, adding to his lengthy injury history.
However, the Vikings added veteran linebacker Eric Wilson last offseason. He brings a unique blueprint to the starting lineup, which could inspire Golday. Wilson, 31, entered the 2025 regular season as a backup. Still, he started 16 games, replacing an injured Cashman during the season-opener and then became the full-time replacement for Ivan Pace Jr. once Cashman returned.
Wilson’s role evolved throughout the season. He rushed the passer at least eight times in 12 of Minnesota’s final 13 games. Even though he will turn 32 in September, the Vikings brought him back on a three-year, $22.5 million deal in March.
The attrition of the NFL season could force Golday into action, much like Wilson a year ago. The Vikings could cut Pace after training camp, so if Golday quickly learns Flores’ defense, he could become the first player off the bench if someone gets injured.
Flores must decide how to best deploy Golday. A former defensive end entering college, Golday still appears to be more comfortable attacking downhill than dropping into coverage, even if he possesses the potential to grow covering zones. Could he be used in a blitz-heavy role much like Wilson?
Suppose Golday’s initial path to playing time were to run downhill and take out running backs in pass protection. Then, his effectiveness could influence Flores to give him more playing time sooner, even if Van Ginkel is still on the field.
History suggests that Golday may get a “redshirt” season in Flores’ system. But his skillset is so unique that he may command playing time sooner than later if Flores sees a spot for him. And an injury could put him on the fast track there, even if it isn’t the “Van Ginkel” role that everyone has seemingly envisioned for him.
Even though Golday reminds his coaches of Van Ginkel, the rookie could find the field in his own unique role. Still, we may not fully know the best role for him until we see it in real time.
