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Adam Thielen didn’t work his way into the Vikings’ starting lineup until his fourth year with the team. Brandon Zylstra is focused on following Thielen’s lead, but he’d like to move up the ranks quicker than that.
Zylstra is drawing comparisons to Thielen for obvious reasons. Like Thielen, the wide receiver is from small-town Minnesota and went undrafted after playing at a small school outstate.
Zylstra signed a reserve/futures deal with the Vikings on Jan. 3. He will begin spring drills with them April 16.
“Coming in, my goals are going to be to not be on the practice squad,” Zylstra said. ‘I feel like I can come in and just compete for a starting spot. … Why not? I’m not going to be coming in and just expecting to be a backup. If I end up in a backup role, that’s cool. But I’m just going to keep working until I get that starting spot.”
Brandon Zylstra, a wide receiver from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn., in an Aug. 2015 photo. (Courtesy of Concordia College Moorhead Sports Information Department. Thielen and Stefon Diggs are sure-fire starters in the fall. But Zylstra considers the third receiver role as good as a starter.
https://www.twincities.com/2018/04/06/co...m-thielen/
Zylstra is intriguing and did lead the CFL in receiving yards last year. But he is not the athlete that Thielen was coming out of college.
Zylstra was 6'2.4" 219 ran a 4.64 forty, had a 34 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.19 3-cone.
Thielen was 6'1.1" 192 ran a 4.49 forty, had a 36 vert, 10'0" broad, and a 6.77 3-cone.
It appears that Thielen was much faster and a little quicker coming out.
Here is the receiver that I hope the Vikings take a swing at this year.
http://www.thedp.com/article/2018/03/penn-football-justin-watson-senior-pro-day-nfl-hopeful-40-yard-dash-speed-draft
Justin Watson WR Penn 6'2.3" 215 ran a 4.42 forty, had a 40 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.04 3-cone.
But Zylstra is already here so I hope that he is able to compete to the best of his ability.
Looks like the WR position is going to be tough this year.
You got Treadwell who may be gifted a spot due to his contract. King, Coley, Jones, and Zylstra will all be battling for 3 spots.
Quote: @MarkSP18 said:
Zylstra is intriguing and did lead the CFL in receiving yards last year. But he is not the athlete that Thielen was coming out of college.
Zylstra was 6'2.4" 219 ran a 4.64 forty, had a 34 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.19 3-cone.
Thielen was 6'1.1" 192 ran a 4.49 forty, had a 36 vert, 10'0" broad, and a 6.77 3-cone.
It appears that Thielen was much faster and a little quicker coming out.
Here is the receiver that I hope the Vikings take a swing at this year.
http://www.thedp.com/article/2018/03/penn-football-justin-watson-senior-pro-day-nfl-hopeful-40-yard-dash-speed-draft
Justin Watson WR Penn 6'2.3" 215 ran a 4.42 forty, had a 40 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.04 3-cone.
But Zylstra is already here so I hope that he is able to compete to the best of his ability.
Looks like the WR position is going to be tough this year.
You got Treadwell who may be gifted a spot due to his contract. King, Coley, Jones, and Zylstra will all be battling for 3 spots.
I like Watson as well, though I saw him listed at 225 prior to his pro day and thought he might be a candidate to add some bulk to become a flex TE.
Re: "King, Coley, Jones, and Zylstra will all be battling for 3 spots." Do you think the Vikings will carry 7 WRs again? I would guess only 6, so assuming the top 4 are Diggs, Thielen, Wright, and Treadwell, that's 2 spots remaining. If we draft a WR, very likely he and Coley will get those spots...
Quote: @Jor-El said:
@ MarkSP18 said:
Zylstra is intriguing and did lead the CFL in receiving yards last year. But he is not the athlete that Thielen was coming out of college.
Zylstra was 6'2.4" 219 ran a 4.64 forty, had a 34 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.19 3-cone.
Thielen was 6'1.1" 192 ran a 4.49 forty, had a 36 vert, 10'0" broad, and a 6.77 3-cone.
It appears that Thielen was much faster and a little quicker coming out.
Here is the receiver that I hope the Vikings take a swing at this year.
http://www.thedp.com/article/2018/03/penn-football-justin-watson-senior-pro-day-nfl-hopeful-40-yard-dash-speed-draft
Justin Watson WR Penn 6'2.3" 215 ran a 4.42 forty, had a 40 vert, 10'4" broad, and a 7.04 3-cone.
But Zylstra is already here so I hope that he is able to compete to the best of his ability.
Looks like the WR position is going to be tough this year.
You got Treadwell who may be gifted a spot due to his contract. King, Coley, Jones, and Zylstra will all be battling for 3 spots.
I like Watson as well, though I saw him listed at 225 prior to his pro day and thought he might be a candidate to add some bulk to become a flex TE.
Re: "King, Coley, Jones, and Zylstra will all be battling for 3 spots." Do you think the Vikings will carry 7 WRs again? I would guess only 6, so assuming the top 4 are Diggs, Thielen, Wright, and Treadwell, that's 2 spots remaining. If we draft a WR, very likely he and Coley will get those spots...
I think that Treadwell should have to earn his spot. They will just have to take a cap hit this year and then his cap number will be gone next year. Maybe they could trade him for a late round pick like a 7th?
The chances of any nobody coming in and being a Theilen are tiny. The chances of even a great CFL player coming in and making a difference isn't good. He'll have to work his ass off.
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