Though it’s still very early in Vikings training camp, Jalen Nailor is slowly starting to separate himself in the battle to be the team’s No. 3 receiver.
In a competitive practice Saturday at TCO Performance Center, Nailor was the best receiver not named Justin Jefferson or Jordan Addison. He highlighted an impressive performance by catching several touchdown passes during a dominant display in the red zone.
“It was amazing,” Nailor said. “Just being able to make plays and see the guys get hyped about that.”
This is nothing new for Nailor. The man who goes by “Speedy” might be the fastest receiver on the team, and he made a fan out of head coach Kevin O’Connell in the early stages of last season. Frankly, if Nailor would have stayed healthy, he likely would have worked himself into a role within the offense.
“When he has been out there, he’s made plays consistently,” O’Connell said. “He’s proven what he is as a football player. It’s not a question of that. It’s just a matter of, ‘Can he be out there?’ ”
That’s something that Nailor tried to take into his own hands this offseason. He knew he couldn’t keep doing the same thing he had been doing, so he switched up his workout regimen, taking up pilates and yoga as a way to push himself outside of his comfort zone.
“I had to take a whole different approach,” he said. “Just trying to have more flexibility to limit the injuries.”
He got the idea from watching veterans like Josh Metellus work on their bodies.
“I’m seeing what he’s doing off the field and trying to implement that into my game,” Nailor said of Metellus’ workouts. “Just trying to make sure I can be available.”
That has been easier said than done for Nailor throughout his career, even dating back to his time in college at Michigan State. He acknowledged how frustrating it has been, crediting his wife and daughter with keeping him sane, especially last season during separate stints on injured reserve.
“Whenever I go home, it’s a blessing to see their faces,” Nailor said. “Everything from the outside world goes away, and I’m able to focus on them.”
Now that he’s back with the Vikings this season, however, Nailor is focused on making an impact. He is feeling comfortable in the offense, and he believes his ability to play inside and outside should give him the upper hand as he goes up against some of his peers.
“Just trying to make plays when my number is called,” Nailor said. “That’s the biggest thing for me.”
That hasn’t been an issue for him so far.
“He has done everything we’ve asked of him, and that really has not changed since we drafted him,” O’Connell said. “All he’s trying to do is make sure, ‘What am I doing pre-practice? What am I doing post-practice? What am I doing throughout practice?’ Just to make sure he can handle the workload.”
It remains to be seen if the changes in his workout regimen actually pay dividends in the long run
That said, Nailor can feel the results right now, and he intends to keep up with pilates and yoga moving forward.
“It’s made a huge difference,” he said. “I feel like my body is ready to go.”
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