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Minnesota Vikings: MyCole Pruitt does deserve your attention

By Kevin Parvizi

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The preseason always gives us a chance to get a closer look at younger players who are only on the radar of their own team’s fan base, and Minnesota Vikings tight end MyCole Pruitt certainly qualified as that kind of a player heading into last night’s Hall of Fame game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Like running back Jerick McKinnon last year, Pruitt is an athletic skill position player who lit up workouts and has the upside to be a potential starter in the future despite being just a fifth-round pick in this year’s draft.

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Throughout the offseason, Pruitt has been hyped up, and it was obvious that he had usurped Chase Ford for the No. 2 job behind possible star Kyle Rudolph, who has yet to hit the ground running in the NFL due to a myriad of injuries. Rudolph’s inability to stay healthy (he’s missed 15 games in the past two seasons) means that the No. tight end job in the Vikings offense is a pretty good gig.

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Pruitt’s hold on the No. 2 tight end job was never in question, so his promising performance against the Steelers last night carries a different meaning. It’s an indication that Pruitt might be good enough to fight for a bigger role in the offense as a rookie, even though rookie TEs rarely make much of an impact.

His four receptions for 51 yards on four targets led all pass-catchers, though his numbers were bloated by a 34-yard touchdown reception that came when he was beyond wide open. I mean, there wasn’t a Steelers defender in his ZIP code, so there’s basically no point in praising him for making a play that he should make in his sleep.

Even so, the numbers are impressive, but more noteworthy were the blocks Pruitt had to help spring his teammates, such as McKinnon on his 13-yard screen. If Pruitt can continue to block this well, then the Vikings could entrust him with more playing time than expected behind Rudolph, because that will show that his versatility goes beyond his ability to line up in the slot as a pass-catching option.

Rudolph’s injury history makes MyCole Pruitt a player deserving of your attention in deep fantasy football leagues as an “emergency list” option if anything happens to the Vikes starter, and his long-term upside makes him name worth keeping in mind. The Vikings rookie pass-catcher with the best shot of making an immediate impact is Stefon Diggs, who helped his stock as a returner, but Pruitt is probably just as intriguing.

After all, the 23-year-old Southern Illinois product is just 6’2″, but he is a 251-pound TE who played hoops and volleyball and can run the forty in under 4.6 seconds. He put up a 38-inch vertical at the Combine, and he has the hands and blocking ability to boot. Pruitt is more polished as a blocker than most FCS products at the position, and he looked the part as a receiver yesterday, too.

It’s worth noting that Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said back in May that offensive coordinator Norv Turner was the one really high on Pruitt, and that bodes well for the fifth-round pick in 2015 and beyond. Rudolph isn’t short on talent, but his injuries and lack of a big season to this point are indications that he could feel the heat from Pruitt in the future, especially if the rookie continues to shine in 2015. There is no position battle here at all, but Pruitt could put added pressure on Rudolph to have a good season and carry some positive momentum into 2016.

Next: Where Does Harrison Smith Rank Among Safeties?

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