Vikings Did Homework on Unusual Rookie RB

Compared to previous years, the Vikings have actually fielded a bonanza of running back visits, a signal that a rookie could be on the way. The Vikings haven’t used early-round draft capital on a tailback since Dalvin Cook in 2017 and Alexander Mattison in 2019. The drought may be over.

The Scouting Report

McGowan is 6’0″ and 225 pounds, so he has plenty of size. He’s known for his patience and power. Weakness? Very little explosion and ball security woes. The Wildcat compiled 725 rushing yards on 165 carries last year with 12 touchdowns.

NFL Draft Buzz on his rookie profile: “The film on McGowan tells a clear story: this is a runner who sees it, trusts it, and hits it. Between the tackles in man and power schemes, he plays with the kind of processing speed and downhill temperament that translates. His best work at Kentucky came on gap runs, and when the blocking was there, he rewarded it with decisive cuts and strong contact balance.”

“The redemption arc is real and compelling. You can see a back who plays with something to prove, who runs angry and finishes through contact like a guy who knows what it feels like to have football taken away from him. The concerns, though, are equally real. The explosive play numbers from his Kentucky tape are genuinely troubling. At New Mexico State, he popped long runs with regularity, but against SEC competition, those plays simply vanished.”

McGowan sounds like a guy with an RB2 ceiling.

TBD added, “A 20-yard long on 165 carries is a number that stands out in the wrong way. The fumbling has to clean up, full stop. And the pass protection tape from 2025 was rough. He has the frame for it, and he showed more willingness than technique, but at the NFL level, a back who cannot protect the quarterback on third down is a back who sits on the sideline during the most important snaps.”

“The receiving game is limited too, more of a checkdown option than someone who will stress a defense out of the backfield. McGowan fits best in a downhill, run-heavy offense where he can work as a committee back within gap and power schemes. He is not a three-down starter at the next level.”

The Derek Warehime Connection

Minnesota parted ways with longtime offensive line coach Chris Kuper this offseason, paving the way for assistant Keith Carter to take over the big job. In return, needing to fill the assistant offensive line coach vacancy, head coach Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, and Carter hired Derek Warehime, who very briefly stopped by the Wildcats in 2025 as the run game coordinator.

Jeremiyah Love, the top prospect in the draft from Notre Dame, probably isn’t in play because a team will pick him in the Top 10, but after Love, the board totally opens for Minnesota.

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