In 2023, the Minnesota Vikings took a chance on Jalen Redmond, an undrafted player out of Oklahoma.
Redmond played behind Harrison Phillips, Jerry Tillery, and Jonathan Bullard last year. Still, the 6’3”, 291 lb. defensive lineman played in 13 games, with 18 tackles, one sack, and two passes deflected.
This year, the Vikings lost Bullard and Tillery in free agency, but they added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Therefore, it looked like Redmond would at least start the season on the bench.
Then they traded Phillips.
Someone was going to have to step up and show out in Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy defense. While he was an under-the-radar signing in 2024, Redmond has stepped up to the challenge.
Redmond has only played organized football since his junior year of high school. Still, he’s showing why he garnered rave reviews after his 2023 combine performance. During that performance he placed a position best at the broad and vertical jump and second in his position at the 40.
The Carolina Panthers signed Redmond after the draft, but they cut him before the season.
Redmond kept his playing career alive by joining the Arlington Renegades of the UFL, where he played in only five games before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Still, that short stint showed the Vikings everything they needed to see to be willing to take a chance on the former four-star high school recruit.
Only three other players, Brandon Aubrey, KaVontae Turpin, and Jake Bates, have made NFL rosters after playing in the UFL.
While Minnesota’s season has already created whiplash, Redmond has deserved high praise. Even in defeat, some moments highlight that he deserves every chance he gets.
In Minnesota’s Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Redmond showed up in some key situations to keep the team in it. Although he jumped early on fourth-and-one, which led to the only touchdown of the game, he had six tackles and his first sack of the season.
Since then, he has been a massive contributor on defense.
Entering the bye week, Redmond has 14 tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass deflection. His three sacks lead the team, and he also leads the team in tackles for loss with four. Redmond’s 76.4 PFF grade puts him 17th of 179 interior defensive linemen.
While Redmond’s ascension as a starter is noteworthy, his ability to be a future star in the NFL is even more tantalizing.
As stated earlier, Redmond is still learning the game. Add in his athletic ability and the fact that he’s learning under a defensive coordinator who many people feel deserves another shot at being a head coach. He has the true potential to make a name for himself.
The other unknown is what this guy can do if he stays healthy.
Fans got to witness Redmond display glimpses of his brute force periodically during last season, but he has never completed a full football season. He dealt with blood clots and a knee issue in college, then suffered an injury in the UFL, and a concussion last season.
He has garnered high praise from head coach Kevin O’Connell as well as others in the locker room who have watched his development firsthand.
If he can stay healthy this season, Redmond can make a name for himself in the NFL as a perennial starter. His unique blend of current production and future upside demonstrates why I am predicting that, barring injury, Jalen Redmond will have multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro seasons in the near future.