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Ranking Every Minnesota Vikings Player: Pivotal player to J.J. McCarthy's success in 2025 highlihgts Nos. 35-31

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Tyler Forness | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 9:13 AM ET

The Minnesota Vikings are going to be one of the teams to watch throughout the season, but in training camp, they will be even more so. How the roster shakes out is going to be very interesting.

In the next installment of our series ranking every player on the 90-man roster, we are getting closer to seeing the starters, and this group has one player that hopes to earn a full-time starting role.

35. QB Sam Howell

When the Vikings acquired Howell during the NFL Draft, it was to be their backup quarterback. He fits the profile of a backup quarterback very well: is capable in using his legs, has a good arm, and willing to attack down the field. There's also a reason he's a backup: Howell is slow when it comes to processing and, in turn, takes too many sacks. He's also a very cost effective backup making a shade over $1.1 million this year.

34. CB Mekhi Blackmon

Going into last season, Blackmon was one of the players many believed would end up taking a major step forward. Unfortunately, he tore his ACL at the end of the first training camp practice last year.

Going into the 2025 season, Blackmon will be fully healthy and ready to compete to be CB2 or CB3. How much confidence he has in the knee will be important early on, as he will be competing with the likes of Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okudah for the role.

33. DT Taki Taimani

There were little to no expectations for Taimani going into last year. He didn't test like a great athlete, but there was a need at nose tackle behind Harrison Phillips. Taimani shined in the preseasonas a run stuffer, holding up at the point of attack as a two gapper. He got into the rotation right away for the Vikings, helping spell Phillips regularly, and he's likely to have that role again this year. The one thing that could spoil him, making the roster is the emergence of someone like Levi Drake Rodriguez.

Taki Taimani is the latest UDFA find for the Vikings. Does a great job holding up at the point of attack and sheds the center to get the tackle pic.twitter.com/QeXnnIUH78
— Tyler Forness (@TheRealForno) September 16, 2024

32. OT Justin Skule

Skule isn't going to be some high-upside player, but he's more than capable in the role that the Vikings. Last season, he started multiple games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in which he played relatively well. With David Quessenberry having moved on after the season, Skule is arguably an upgrade as the swing tackle.

31. FB C.J. Ham

Ham is the second-longest tenured Viking behind only Harrison Smith. He doesn't play a lot anymore on offense, but Ham has become both a big leader and important player on special teams. Without the best number three tight end in the NFL Johnny Mundt, we may see Ham get some more snaps this season.