{"id":4518,"date":"2026-06-20T18:05:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T18:05:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4518"},"modified":"2026-06-20T18:05:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T18:05:33","slug":"vikings-eager-to-develop-versatile-rookie-linebacker-jake-golday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4518","title":{"rendered":"Vikings eager to develop versatile rookie linebacker Jake Golday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jake Golday (41) takes part in drills during an NFL football practice Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo\/Abbie Parr)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

EAGAN, Minn. \u2014 Jake Golday will likely spend most of his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings<\/a> on special teams while serving as the top backup to veteran inside linebackers Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, a natural way for a late-blooming second-round draft pick to debut in the NFL<\/a> .<\/p>

Read more Hurricanes fans jam into downtown Raleigh for team\u2019s Stanley Cup parade, celebration<\/a><\/p>\n

The progression the Vikings have in mind for him, though, isn\u2019t that simple. Nothing is, really, under the direction of defensive coordinator Brian Flores<\/a> .<\/p>\n

While Golday possesses the build at 6-foot-4 and 239 pounds to be a productive off-the-ball linebacker, he was targeted in the draft as a prospect with potential to also play on the edge as a pass rusher. Golday has the athleticism and instincts, the Vikings believe, to eventually serve as the type of utility-knife starter who can thrive in any personnel group \u2014 just like Andrew Van Ginkel.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has some of those characteristics to him,\u201d coach Kevin O\u2019Connell said. \u201cWe were fortunate enough to get him where we did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Golday, who was selected with the 51st overall pick, didn\u2019t have any scholarship offers from power conference programs out of high school in Arlington, Tennessee, and started his college career as a defensive end at the FCS level at Central Arkansas. That\u2019s when he developed the pass rushing skills that helped elevate his draft stock after two seasons in the Big 12 with Cincinnati. He switched to inside linebacker the year before he transferred, then moved to the strong side position with significant pass coverage responsibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what makes me special is my versatility. I\u2019ve done a little bit of everything at the college level,\u201d Golday said.<\/p>\n

Flores has consistently gone against the grain with his schemes, unafraid to send blitzers on any down from any spot or employ a four-man line composed entirely of stand-up rushers.<\/p>

Read more Nathan Eovaldi is scratched from his start for Rangers against Padres due to knee soreness<\/a><\/p>\n

Roles and responsibilities are more likely to be molded around player skills than the other way around, which has made room for players such as Van Ginkel to thrive while maximizing individual strengths. Josh Metellus, a natural safety, has wound up as more of a hybrid linebacker in recent years as another example of putting the talent on the field first and then sorting out the positions second.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a lot different than all the defenses I\u2019ve ran in the past,\u201d Golday said, \u201cbut it\u2019s allowing me to grow and to be a better player.\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Ginkel will carry a salary cap hit of $19.25 million this season on an expiring contract that will make him a free agent next year. He will be 31 on July 1. He missed five games last season to a neck injury, the first time he didn\u2019t play the full schedule since his rookie year in 2019 with Miami when Flores was the head coach there.<\/p>\n

Dallas Turner, the 2024 first-round draft pick, made significant strides last year and will be heavily counted on by the Vikings this season. But after the cost-cutting trade<\/a> of Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia, the depth chart for the edge rusher spots is thin. So while Golday is starting his pro career off the ball, he could well find himself spending time with Van Ginkel and the outside linebackers sooner than later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m my own person at the end of the day, but I can\u2019t complain about that comparison. He\u2019s an amazing player so I strive to be like a guy like that,\u201d Golday said. \u201cHe just looks so calm out there all the time. It\u2019s just crazy how he gets to the ball every single play. I\u2019m like, \u2018Dude, you\u2019ve got to teach me your ways.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Van Ginkel will be happy to.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s picking up the defense, which is a very complicated defense, very quickly in my opinion,\u201d Van Ginkel said last week during minicamp. \u201cHe has the traits to be a great football player, and I\u2019m excited to help him grow and reach his full potential.\u201d<\/p>

Read more Shinnecock Hills has a troubling history for 36-hole US Open leaders<\/a><\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

AP NFL: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/NFL<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jake Golday will likely spend most of his rookie season with the Minnesota Vikings on special teams while serving as the top backup inside linebacker<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4518","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nVikings eager to develop versatile rookie linebacker Jake Golday - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4518\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vikings eager to develop versatile rookie linebacker Jake Golday - 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