The Minnesota Vikings have added many rookies to their roster, including not only the nine draft picks but also a host of undrafted players. I want to look at which of these Vikings rookies have surprise potential in 2026 and could achieve more than is suggested.

Unsung Newcomers Could Crash the Conversation

For this exercise, I’m not looking at any of the draftees selected on the first two days of the draft. The likes of Caleb Banks and Jake Golday should be expected to have some impact in their rookie seasons.

I’m looking for a Day 3 pick who can step up early in his career, something the Vikings have had very little success with in recent years. Or — an undrafted rookie that comes from nowhere like Ivan Pace did a couple of years back. The chances of an undrafted rookie breaking onto the scene are slim; some have already been released, but Pace proved it’s not impossible.

1. Demond Claiborne (RB)

The Vikings selected Demond Claiborne with the 198th overall pick, and he can add some juice to a solid, if unspectacular, Vikings rushing attack. Aaron Jones is in the twilight of his career, and Jordan Mason is a good downhill runner, but Claiborne doesn’t see his path to playing time in Minnesota blocked by a Christian McCaffrey or Kenneth Walker.

Claiborne gives the Vikings a twitched-up runner with quick feet who can find gaps and generate big chunk plays. The Vikings’ rushing attack lacks that, and while I wouldn’t expect him to start the season ahead of either Mason or Jones. He can create opportunities for himself, and when they arise, he needs to seize them. There is a place for his style of runner in the Vikings offense if he can take it.

2. Charles Demmings (CB)

Minnesota landed a potential secondary steal in Charles Demmings with the 163rd overall pick. Demmings posted 99th-percentile vertical jump numbers at the combine and earned a 79.6 PFF grade with four interceptions in 2025. Coming from a small school and playing against lesser opponents, there is the doubt that comes with that, but the physical traits and athletic profile are there – 6’1 and 193 lbs with 32-inch arms and 10 1/8-inch hands. 

He ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash with a 1.55-second 10-yard split, while also posting a 42-inch vertical jump and an 11-foot broad jump. Minnesota’s defensive coordinator Brian Flores has shown a strong eye for defensive prospects, and this selection fits that approach. In a draft that felt like it was all about Flores, Demmings could prove to be the jewel in the crown if he can translate his skill set, which includes great ball-tracking ability in the air, to the NFL level. 

3. Dillon Bell (WR)

My pick for the undrafted rookie that could become a surprise package is wide receiver Dillon Bell. There’s not a huge amount of room in the Vikings’ WR room, but Bell has a decent chunk of guaranteed money in his contract, which shows some belief from the Vikings. Bell is a big-bodied offensive weapon at 6-foot and 210 lbs.

His route running isn’t great, but Bell averaged 7.3 yards per carry as a runner at Georgia and can be an intriguing option in the Vikings offense if used correctly – get the ball in his hands early and let him make things happen.

Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.

Tottenham secured Premier League survival at the expense of West Ham on Sunday as Pep Guardiola and Mohamed Salah bade emotional farewells to English football. Spurs knew a draw against Everton would realistically keep them up as they had a two-point advantage over West Ham and a significantly superior goal difference. Joao Palhinha released the mounting pressure at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium just before half-time, poking home after his header thundered back off a post, before being mobbed by his teammates.

Just a few miles away, at the London Stadium, Valentin Castellano, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson scored for West Ham in a 3-0 win against Leeds but it was too little, too late as a nervy Spurs held on to win 1-0.

“This day for us is much more than winning a game,” match-winner Palhinha told the BBC. 

“A lot of people depend (for) their lives on this club. It was a tough season but I think this season can help for the future. We can take a lot from it even if we didn’t reach the level Tottenham should.”

Spurs, the ninth-richest club in the world, have enjoyed a mini-revival in recent weeks under Roberto De Zerbi, who arrived in late March as the club’s third head coach of the season.

The Hammers, who were promoted to the English top division in 2012, will join Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.

“We knew it was going to be difficult, it was not in our hands,” West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo said to Sky Sports. 

“We did our part and we hoped for the best — it didn’t happen. We have to pass the sad moment that we are living.”

Pep farewell

Manchester City boss Guardiola took charge at the Etihad for the final time after a decade of almost unbroken success, with newly-crowned Europa League winners Aston Villa the visitors.

The Catalan on Friday confirmed reports that he was leaving the club after 10 years in charge, with six Premier League titles and the Champions League in his huge collection of silverware.

A huge banner rippled over the heads of fans bearing a giant image of Guardiola, with the messages “Game Changer” and “History Maker”.

Antoine Semenyo gave the home side the lead but England’s Ollie Watkins scored twice to secure a 2-1 win and fourth spot in the table for Villa.

“In the next years, if you see me in the streets in the (United) States or Europe or somewhere and you are a Man City fan, come to me and hug me. I will need it,” Guardiola said in his post-match address to the crowd.

Elsewhere on a day of significant departures, Salah and Andy Robertson played their final game for Liverpool, who drew 1-1 against Brentford.

Deposed champions Liverpool finished fifth in the table, joining Arsenal, City, Manchester United and Aston Villa in next season’s Champions League.

Liverpool’s coaching staff and players formed a guard of honour for a tearful Salah and Robertson before they were embraced by club greats Kenny Dalglish and Ian Rush.

“I think I cried more than in my whole life,” Salah told Sky. “I’m not really an emotional guy. We (with Robertson) lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning to the end. 

“We put this club back where it belongs.”

There was a party atmosphere at Selhurst Park, where a much-changed Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after beating Crystal Palace 2-1.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta admitted he had had doubts after three consecutive runners-up finishes as he chased the club’s first Premier League trophy since 2004.

“That was beautiful,” he said. “Look at the joy of all of the people, they have been waiting for this for so long. 

“We have had difficult moments along the way but it is all worth it when you see that kind of reaction.”

Ten-man Chelsea lost 2-1 at Sunderland, meaning that newly appointed boss Xabi Alonso will have no European football when he is at the helm next season.

Victory took Sunderland into the Europa League, alongside Bournemouth, while Brighton will be in the Conference League.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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The Minnesota Vikings’ regular season won’t start for 3.5 months, but in the meantime, it’s a fair juncture to size up the club’s best players. Kevin O’Connell’s team will hope to visit the postseason in 2026 after missing out on the fun in 2025 by one win.

Minnesota’s best players are ranked from No. 8 to No. 1 entering the heart of the offseason.

From a May 2026 perspective, here’s the pecking order of the team’s top players.

Star Power Still Defines the Top of the Roster

The players are ranked from good to best (No. 1 = best player).

8. Byron Murphy Jr. | CB

Murphy Jr.’s 2024 campaign was much more promising than his 2025 efforts. But that doesn’t mean he’d play poorly in 2025; he was just fantastic two seasons ago.

Because of his consistency, Murphy Jr. checks in at No. 8 on this list, narrowly edging Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Jordan Mason, and Eric Wilson. Opposing quarterbacks encountered a 78.2 passer rating allowed when targeting Murphy in 2025. That’s pretty excellent.

He’s connected to the budget through the end of 2027.

7. Blake Cashman | ILB

Cashman’s importance for 2026 remains crystal clear, despite the arrival of Jake Golday. While the Vikings drafted Golday in Round 2 as a potential long-term off-ball linebacker option should Cashman depart in 2027, Cashman’s 2025 performance was nothing short of fantastic.

Last season, Cashman averaged an incredible 11.07 tackles per game. Projecting that pace over a full 17-game schedule would yield 188 tackles — a mark among the highest in NFL history. Though he missed four games, which dulled his final tally, his weekly impact was undeniable.

Moreover, he’s a near-perfect fit for Flores’s defense. The Eden Prairie native plays fast, finds the football, and injects the kind of disruptive bedlam Flores demands from his middle linebackers.

6. Jalen Redmond | DT

Minnesota’s top revelation over the last two seasons, Redmond is here to stay. He logged a 72.7 Pro Football Focus grade in 2025 after a 75.6 in 2024. Because he came from the UFL, many have expected Redmond to hit a wall eventually, and that just never happens.

He accrued 6 sacks last year, which is fantastic for a defensive tackle, and he just gets better and better. In fact, he had a case for the Pro Bowl last year, though voters did not listen.

You can call Redmond the Vikings’ best or second-best defensive player with Jonathan Greenard no longer on the roster.

5. Kyler Murray | QB

Murray is the fifth-most accurate quarterback in NFL history, he’s faster than Justin Jefferson, and he can throw the ball 60-70 yards. His stock is low right now because the Arizona Cardinals — of all franchises — kicked him to the curb. That will leave him ultra-motivated to succeed in 2026.

He has a lot of “proving it” to do this season as the new quarterback of the Vikings, but based on his seven seasons in the league, he’s not a little-engine-that-could situation. The man has a better career EPA+CPOE than Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, C.J. Stroud, and Trevor Lawrence.

4. Andrew Van Ginkel | OLB

Van Ginkel is the Vikings’ top outside linebacker. How? Why? Minnesota traded Jonathan Greenard to the Eagles last month. While Dallas Turner offers high upside, Van Ginkel is the proven commodity: versatile, productive, and a trusted asset in Brian Flores’ defense.

Crucially, he’s the linchpin holding the pass rush together. His ability to rush, drop, disguise, and execute the unique assignments vital to Flores’ system makes him invaluable. This versatility is even more critical now with Greenard’s departure and Turner’s promotion to a full-time starting role.

With Van Ginkel turning 31 this summer, the Vikings might consider an extension to retain one of their most reliable defenders beyond 2026. In two seasons, Van Ginkel has tabulated 18.2 sacks, 32 QB hits, 133 tackles, 2 interceptions, and 2 touchdowns in Minnesota.

3. Brian O’Neill | RT

O’Neill embodies the quietly excellent player every team dreams of having at right tackle. His sturdy performance is evident in his PFF grades since 2018:

Through multiple roster eras, coaching staffs, quarterback changes, and offensive line rebuilds, O’Neill has almost never been part of the problem. Even when the Vikings struggled with offensive line issues during the Mike Zimmer years, he remained the sole steady presence.

Delivering strong seasons with remarkably few rough games, O’Neill can be expected to perform exceptionally well again in 2026 — because that’s simply his modus operandi.

2. Christian Darrisaw | LT

Darrisaw experienced his worst season as a pro in 2025, mainly because his ACL didn’t heal right. Minnesota put him back on the shelf in December and now hopes that he’ll be ready for Week 1.

When healthy, Darrisaw is a Top 3 NFL left tackle. Some might argue that O’Neill deserves this spot, but at the peak of his powers, Darrisaw is a slightly better tackle than O’Neill. Not by much, but by a little.

Darrisaw is overdue for a monster year, and one of these seasons, he’ll pull down his first Pro Bowl honor. It’s overdue.

1. Justin Jefferson | WR

We publish this list of best Vikings annually around this time on the calendar, and Jefferson has taken home the top prize five years running.

It’s a “no caption” needed situation.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker

NASCAR drivers and fans are remembering Kyle Busch not only for his success on the track, but for the impact he made off it following his sudden death.

Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion, had been preparing for this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when he became unresponsive while using a driving simulator in Concord on Wednesday. He was transported to the hospital, where he died the following day.

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Saturday, his family announced he died from severe pneumonia that progressed into sepsis.

His death prompted an outpouring of tributes across the racing world, including an order from Governor Josh Stein to lower North Carolina and U.S. flags to half-staff on state grounds through sundown Sunday.

For many, Busch’s competitive nature defined his career.

“He always brought fans to the stands. Every time he came on the racetrack, he was always racing hard, and I kind of bounced off of him because I raced hard. I don’t go out there to finish second, and I feel like he didn’t do that at all either. He always wanted to win, and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do every time I hit the racetrack,” said driver Carson Haislip.

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Haislip said Busch also stood out for his willingness to engage with fans. In 2023, when Haislip was 15, he, alongside fellow driver Phoenyx Kimball, interviewed Busch at Wake County Speedway.

“It went great. A lot of people nowadays, when they get to (become) big names and stuff like that, they’re not really looking to talk,” Haislip said. “But he was really, really understanding, and he was all game for it.”

Busch’s commitment to family was also a defining part of his life, often seen attending races involving his son, Brexton.

“I watched it firsthand,” Haislip said. “You don’t see a lot of the NASCAR drivers just out there trying to make every single race they can, but he was doing that. He had to race on the weekends, but he was still making time for his son and that’s something that sticks out about Kyle Busch that I feel like a lot of people don’t notice is the family guy he was.”

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Richard Childress Racing announced it will suspend the use of Busch’s No. 8 car, reserving it for Brexton when he is ready.

Fans across North Carolina said they were stunned by the news of his passing.

“I just almost had to pull over to a side road just because I’m a big fan of Kyle Busch and because I just couldn’t believe it,” said Walter Prince, owner of Walt’s Toys and Collectibles in Raleigh.

Prince described Busch as a widely respected figure in the sport.

“He was about the sport, and he was all about promoting it. He was just a super nice guy. Always a smile on his face. It was hard to pull against him because he was really just that nice of a guy. And he really carried the sport and helped bring it back to prominence,” said Prince.

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Funeral arrangements have not been publicly announced.

WATCH: Racing legend Kyle Busch remembered for devotion to family, kindness and generosity

NASCAR star Kyle Busch is being remembered not only for his success on the track, but for his devotion to family and generosity off of it, following his sudden death Thursday at age 41.

Extraordinary things are expected from the Mumbai Indians, but the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season was fairly ordinary for the five-time champions. Be it Jasprit Bumrah‘s failure to pick up wickets, Suryakumar Yadav‘s barren run with the bat, or Hardik Pandya‘s captaincy, there were several factors that led to MI loitering at the No. 9 spot in the points table. To add insult to injury, Mumbai also lost their final game of the campaign against the Rajasthan Royals, despite looking in pole position to win the contest at one point.

Mumbai needed 60 runs from 34 balls to claim a victory in their final match and bow out on a high, but a lower-order collapse saw them restricted to just 175/9. Sharing his opinion on MI’s underwhelming show this year, Ravichandran Ashwin refused to mince his words.

Mumbai were 148/5 at one point, with Hardik and Suryakumar batting in the middle. It looked as though the chase was a mere formality from that stage, but catastrophe unfolded as the team kept losing wickets from then on.

“At the Wankhede Stadium, if you need 60 runs off 34 balls, I think Mumbai Indians would usually chase it down. But the problem was… yes, that’s where things went wrong. Hardik hit well today, even against the spinners. If you remember, for Gujarat Titans, Hardik used to bat at number four or sometimes number five, and he used to take down the spinners,” Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.

READ | “Gave Hardik Best Opportunity, Tried Everything”: MI Coach’s Blunt Verdict 

Ashwin feels that MI have looked quite ‘strange’ this year under Hardik. While a few players have had injury issues, most of them haven’t looked like themselves, which Ashwin feels is a big problem. In fact, Ashwin thinks it wouldn’t be a surprise if the next campaign ends on a similar note for Mumbai.

“I think I said it in the commentary box too, Hardik looks like he has a small problem with the hard-length ball. I don’t know why, could be fatigue, could be an injury. I said something about this last time too. He got out, mishitting a short, slower ball from Jofra Archer. I think the game turned right there because the partnership of Hardik and Surya would have chased that down, but they were just not able to accelerate.

“This Mumbai Indians team felt a bit strange. I don’t know. It cannot be easy. Given their quality, maybe they can come back and play well next year, but I won’t be surprised if they find it tough for one more year. Because of the way their team is structured, it looks like a lot of people are not at their best. I don’t know what it is, but they are not looking at their best. So, I was surprised this year, but next year I won’t be surprised. Next year, even if Mumbai Indians give a middling performance, I wouldn’t be surprised. It has been a very disappointing performance,” he said.

Ashwin didn’t spare Bumrah either, highlighting his deplorable bowling average of over 100 this year.

“Jasprit Bumrah wasn’t playing today either. It was never going to be easy. It was RR’s game to lose, and RR won. I mean, credit where it’s due. Jasprit Bumrah not playing was also a bit of a help for Punjab… wait, do you know this record? This is the first time in the history of the IPL that a bowler has played a full season and averaged over 100, and that’s Jasprit Bumrah! If I had told anyone this…”

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