Minnesota Vikings training camp: Mr. Mankato candidates led by emerging star

The Minnesota Vikings are a week and a half into training camp and we are starting to see things come into focus. The quarterbacks have been the story of training camp so far with Sam Darnold and J.J. McCarthy rotating reps across the entirety of practice.

Outside of the quarterbacks, there have been a lot of intriguing players so far during practice on both sides of the football. That's where the discussion for Mr. Mankato comes in.

The Mr. Mankato Award was founded by Judd Zulgad and Phil Mackey of SKOR North back in 2014 to recognize a player who is a rookie drafted in the third round or later or a lesser-known player who has yet to break out.

While the Vikings don't go down to Mankato for training camp anymore, the name has stayed due to tradition. Who are the leading candidates for Mr. Mankato through almost two weeks of training camp?

Minnesota Vikings training camp Mr. Mankato candidates

Jalen Nailor

The most impressive player on the field at TCO Performance Center over the first few weeks has been Nailor. A sixth-round pick out of Michigan State in the 2022 NFL Draft, Nailor had wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell pounding the table for him.

Known by some as "Speedy," Nailor's biggest flaw thus far has been staying healthy. He got hurt during the first training camp practice and became a non-factor for the entirety of the 2023 season. He's taken advantage of the opportunity with a multitude of high-end explosive plays with both the first and second teams.

Gabriel Murphy

We know that Murphy is the highest-ranked UDFA during this draft process and he's proved during training camp that he should have been drafted. When the Vikings signed him, my initial thought was that he was the next Ivan Pace Jr.

The main reason why Murphy was undrafted was due to his sixth percentile arm length at a paltry 30.5". During camp, his explosiveness has stood out in a major way. He got a sack during Friday's practice and has continuously made an impact whenever he's gotten on the field, including special teams. If he can thrive during the preseason, Murphy could make the team and possibly the rotation.

Levi Drake Rodriguez

Rodriguez is the most intriguing player on the Vikings' roster. A seventh-round pick out of FCS' Texas A&M Commerce, Rodriguez was a high-motor player at both the FCS and NAIA levels. Having been labeled Prospect X by ESPN's Kalyn Kahler then of the Athletic, Rodriguez built up quite a following among scouts.

When you watch Rodriguez, he plays with an incredibly high motor that seemingly never stops. He puts himself in the proper position often and will attempt to chase down ball carriers. Rodriguez even got reps with the first team during Friday's practice. That will likely continue, especially with the weak defensive line the Vikings currently have.

Other candidates

• Jay Ward
• Dwight McGlothern
• Trishton Jackson