Vikings Rookie Keeps Upping the Ante at Training Camp

Corner Charles Demmings — he prefers to be called Chuck — is impressing onlookers at TCO Performance Center. The Vikings rookie keeps proving that he may have been a steal in the 5th Round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Consider, for instance, what Thor Nystrom had to say on social media: “Chuck Demmings is gonna force his way onto the field at some point this fall. Extremely aggressive/energetic presence on D — your eyes gravitate to him. Had a slick breakup today, and got under [Jauan] Jennings’ skin late on a short checkdown that Demmings screamed down on.”

Go ahead and consider what Will Ragatz had to say: “Rookie CB Chuck Demmings is maybe the best story of training camp thus far. He just keeps making plays, with two more PBUs so far today. And he isn’t shy about celebrating afterwards. Vikings might’ve found something in the fifth round.”

Never one to turn down a chance to praise Mr. Demmings, Brevan Bane wrote about the Vikings rookie doing some good things over on PurplePTSD. “All indications continue to point towards rookie CB Charles Demmings being an absolute stud,” Bane explains. “Admittedly, I love soaking up every bit of the Demmings praise.”

Vikings Rookie Charles Demmings is Turning Heads

Consider a best guess for what the corner depth chart looks like as of early August. The starters:

• CB1 Byron Murphy Jr.
• CB2 Isaiah Rodgers
• CB3 James Pierre

The Vikings are still sorting through what the depth chart is going to look like for the September 13th game against the Packers. Could other young guys like Dwight McGlothern or Zamaiah Vaughn force their way into the lineup?

Moreover, there needs to be a consideration of the safety talent. Josh Metellus is coming off a disappointing year but he’s going to play. Next up are some combination of Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, and Jakobe Thomas. All of these guys are trying to force their way onto the field.

Lingering among all of these options is Charles Demmings.

Consider what the scouting report looked like going into the draft. The insight from Lance Zierlein from the NFL website: “Demmings is capable of mixing into a variety of coverages but is at his best starting from a press look. He has the hips/feet to match route breaks and the speed to stay with routes as they unfold. His recognition and instincts are average from off coverages and he can be a step slow to drive on throws in front of him. While Demmings lacks ideal play strength and is not a firm tackler, his ball skills and man-cover consistency could land him a roster spot as a future CB4 with gunner potential.”

Maybe the main knock on Demmings is that he played for a modest college program. Pretty reasonably, analysts struggle to confidently proclaim him capable of making the jump to the NFL.

Demmings, for whatever it’s worth, doesn’t appear to be drowning at Vikings training camp. To the contrary, the young fella is carrying himself with a lot of confidence, which is a basic prerequisite for playing the position. Nobody can be a great corner, especially a press-man corner, without being confident.

Admittedly, the practices back in June weren’t at the same standard, but here is what I saw when watching Demmings.

The Vikings rookie looks long. He’s tall and has long arms, a great attribute for the position. So, too, is he fast. Again, that’s excellent. But then there’s something intangible that nevertheless shows up in a physical way. The kid is willing to get over top of the receiver’s toes before the snap, lining up directly across from the player he’s covering.

Essentially, Demmings is saying, “I’m covering you and am not at all concerned about hiding that basic fact. Good luck trying to catch the ball.” The NFL is a workplace where actions speak louder than words. Demmings says much in those moments.

Charles Demmings is 23.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.