Vikings looking at Day 2 receivers?!?!?!? (Part 1)
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In this episode of Purple Insider, host Matthew Collar dives into the Minnesota Vikings' recent meetings with Day 2 wide receivers ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. He breaks down several prospects the Vikings have reportedly visited, including Dazon Stripling of Ole Miss, Ted Hurst of Georgia State, Antonio Williams of Clemson, Bryce Lance of NDSU, Skylar Bell of UConn, and Chris Brazel II of Tennessee. Collar evaluates each player’s strengths and fit within the Vikings’ offensive scheme, emphasizing a preference for versatile, route-running specialists like Williams over pure deep threats. He also analyzes a five-round mock draft by Chad Reuter, praising the Vikings’ hypothetical selections of Kayla Banks, D'Angelo Pons, and Genesis Smith, though expressing concern over Banks’ injury history. The episode features a reflective segment on Collar’s past draft predictions—both successful (Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison) and flawed (Wyatt Davis, Irv Smith Jr.)—and explores broader themes like the value of separation over pure size, the importance of football IQ, and the NFL’s perception of the safety position as replaceable. The discussion concludes with listener engagement on draft takes and a sponsor plug for FanDuel.
The Vikings are targeting versatile, route-running wide receivers in the second and third rounds, with Antonio Williams emerging as a top preference due to his separation skills and college production.
While deep threats like Chris Brazel II and Dazon Stripling offer upside, the Vikings may prioritize players with better route-running and ball-tracking ability over pure size or speed.
The safety position is often viewed as replaceable due to its dependence on team defense and the abundance of competent, interchangeable players at the NFL level.
Draft success often hinges on intangibles like football IQ, toughness, and adaptability—skills that are hard to assess from college tape alone.
Historical draft picks like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison show that high upside can come from later-round selections, especially when teams identify players who fit their system.
Vikings' Day 2 Receiver Meetings & Draft Strategy
“If you get a guy who becomes Romeo Dobbs, Romeo Dobbs gets paid $17 million. It's worth a lot.”
Deep Dive on Dazon Stripling & Other Prospects
Collar analyzes Dazon Stripling’s profile, emphasizing his size, athleticism, and potential as a Jalen Naylor-type role player. He compares him to other Day 2 receivers, noting their varied skill sets and projected roles.
NFL.com Five-Round Mock Draft Breakdown
“This is really good. So how would you grade this five round mock from Chad Reuter? I would probably go a minus, but I'm not even sure where the minuses other than banks scares me a little bit.”
Matthew's Best & Worst Draft Takes
“I thought that he was the best receiver in the draft and he would be gone by like pick five, seven. He was being projected super high and he ends up going to the Vikings and of course has become an unbelievable talent for them.”
The Value of Separation & Football IQ
The episode explores why separation and route-running ability often matter more than pure size or speed in the NFL. Collar discusses the importance of football IQ, especially for slot receivers, and how college production doesn’t always translate.
“I thought that he was the best receiver in the draft and he would be gone by like pick five, seven. He was being projected super high and he ends up going to the Vikings and of course has become an unbelievable talent for them.”
“If you get a guy who becomes Romeo Dobbs, Romeo Dobbs gets paid $17 million. It's worth a lot.”
“The draft is still so great. Like we can mock it. We could think about it. We could talk about it. But once Christmas day arrives, it's like you can make your list, but what Santa brings in the box, you don't really know until you open it.”
Host
Matthew Collar
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Justin Jefferson
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Jordan Addison
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Antonio Williams
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Dazon Stripling
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Ted Hurst
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Kayla Banks
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Chris Brazel II
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Bryce Lance
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D'Angelo Pons
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The Athletic's Alec Lewis does not think Vikings should trade Jonathan Greenard
Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast • 59m • 3/31/2026
Chris Trapasso analyzes Minnesota Vikings dark horse draft positions
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Acting GM Brzezinski hints that moves are coming for Vikings (Part 2)
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Acting GM Brzezinski hints that moves are coming for Vikings (Part 1)
Purple Insider - a Minnesota Vikings and NFL podcast • 1h 15m • 4/3/2026
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