Vikings OTAs: Gabriel Murphy leads the pack of defensive UDFAs to keep an eye on over the next month

The Minnesota Vikings kick off OTAs on Monday, May 20, and that means offseason workouts are in full swing as we head into the summer months.

There will be a lot to keep track of. For starters, there are over 30 new faces to account for thanks to free agency and the draft. Many of those guys (like first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for instance) are looking to win starting jobs, as well, which only heightens the interest.

Speaking of McCarthy, we are aware of the big names that were added over the offseason and what their path mostly consists of - but what about the lesser-known guys that will be fighting tooth and nail just to make the practice squad/roster; much less win a starting gig?

Let's dive in and talk about three UDFAs on defense that you need to keep an eye on over the next few weeks.

1. EDGE Gabriel Murphy

The first and most obvious name, a lot of eyes will be on Murphy, whom many projected to be a fourth-round pick. Instead, he fell completely out of the draft and landed right in the Vikings' lap.

Much has been made about Murphy's short arms and they're the catalyst behind his fall. For instance, first-round pick, Dallas Turner, has 34-3/8" arms compared to Murphy's 30-1/2" - that's a huge difference, at the end of the day.

But, that doesn't include Murphy's overall athleticism, which is elite, his relentless motor, nor his footwork. The dude has what it takes to succeed in the NFL, as long as his coaches are putting him in the right position(s) to have success.

Brian Flores is one of the best defensive minds in the NFL, so there shouldn't be any problem with the latter. Combine that with the fact that there is competition for the last EDGE spot and it's easy to see why Murphy is a name to watch.

2. CB Dwight McGlothern

Another player that was expected to be drafted, it's unclear as to why McGlothern was selected.

Regardless, he is best in a zone scheme, which is what Flores moved to in 2023. In fact, the Vikings were one of the zone-heaviest teams, last year.

Flores' scheme combined his passion for front-end pressure with a college-based zone coverage, a combination that had never been used with such frequency at the pro level. The Vikings lead the NFL with a blitz rate of 47.9%, the 10th-highest for any team through 17 weeks since ESPN Stats & Information began tracking it in 2006, and rank second in frequency of zone coverage (69.4%)...

... Assistant head coach Mike Pettine, the defensive coordinator of the 2006 New York Jets team that had the highest blitz rate (52.4%) in ESPN's recorded range, said it was natural to seek supplemental pass rush and try to limit the time that the secondary was asked to be in coverage. - Kevin Seifert, ESPN

McGlothern needs to work on his technique, more than anything. But he anticipates routes, he's confident, has good instincts, and has plenty of production (12 forced turnovers over the last three seasons) to where he can make some noise in a not-so-crowded cornerback room.