We made it! What a journey. Today's #92Noon featured a breakdown of the 91-99 group, bookended by Stephen Weatherly and Danielle Hunter! Below, read through a synopsis, or skip to the bottom and hear the on-air discussion!
91 - DE STEPHEN WEATHERLY
ENTERING 4TH YEAR OUT OF VANDERBILT. STEPPED UP SIGNIFICANTLY IN 2018 AS HE STARTED 6 GAMES IN PLACE OF EVERSON GRIFFEN, THE FIRST STARTING ACTION OF HIS CAREER. HE TOTALED JUST UNDER 40 TACKLES, 6 FOR LOSS INCLUDING 3 SACKS. NOW THAT EVERSON IS BACK AND IN A HEALTHY PLACE, STEPHEN SHOULD RETURN TO A RESERVE ROLE WHILE POTENTIALLY EARNING MORE REPS ON THE FIELD. FINAL YEAR OF HIS CONTRACT WITH THE PURPLE.
92 - DT JALYN HOLMES
SECOND SEASON FOR JALYN AFTER PLAYING IN 5 GAMES HIS ROOKIE SEASON. TOTALED 58 SNAPS ON DEFENSE AND SNAGGED 1 SACK ON SAM DARNOLD IN THE BLOWOUT WIN OVER THE JETS. PUT A TON OF REPS IN AGAINST THE SAINTS ON FRIDAY, PLAYING THE ENTIRE FIRST HALF AND INTO THE THIRD QUARTER, BRINGING TEDDY TO THE GROUND ONCE AS WELL. HE'S BIG LIKE A NOSE TACKLE, BUT PLAYS THE 3-TECHNIQUE POSITION...GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO MAKE TEAM AND BE USED AS A SITUATIONAL PASS RUSHER. I THINK HE'S IN.
93 - DT SHAMAR STEPHEN -- NO HIGHLIGHT
MY OPINION IS THAT THE DEFENSIVE LINE GOT BETTER AS A WHOLE WHEN SHAMAR RE-JOINED THE VIKINGS. HE'LL START ALONG WITH LINVAL JOSEPH ON THE INTERIOR, WHERE HE'LL HOLD BLOCKS TO STUFF THE RUN GAME AND MIGHT HELP LOOSEN UP DOUBLE TEAMS ON LINVAL JOSEPH SO THE HUNGRY MAN CAN EAT. BIG TIME GLUE GUY FOR THE D LINE. TIM DUNCAN IS THE REAL "BIG FUNDAMENTAL" BUT IT'S A NICE WAY TO DESCRIBE SHAMAR'S GAME. 7TH ROUND PICK IN 2014, HE TOOK A 1-YEAR TRIP TO SEATTLE IN 2018 BEFORE RETURNING TO PURPLE.
94 - DT JALEEL JOHNSON
4TH ROUND PICK IN 2017, JALEEL HAS 1 START IN HIS CAREER, COMING AGAINST THE JETS LAST SEASON WHERE HE TALLIED A HALF-SACK AN SEVERAL TACKLES IN THE VICTORY. HE'S LINVAL'S BACKUP, AND WILL BE AGAIN IN 2019. HE DOESN'T SPLASH MUCH, AND ISN'T CLOSE TO CHALLENGING LINVAL FOR A STARTING SPOT, BUT APPEARS RELIABLE ENOUGH TO STEP IN AND CLOG UP THE LANES WHEN NEEDED.
95 - DE IFEADI ODENIGBO
7TH ROUNDER IN 2017, THE VIKINGS HAVE ENDED UP CUTTING IFEADI THE LAST TWO SEASONS OF TRAINING CAMP. PRACTICE SQUAD 2017, THEN HE TRIED OUT FOR THE BROWNS & CARDINALS LAST YEAR, PLAYING IN ONE GAME FOR THE ARIZONA AND NOTCHING ONE TACKLE. THE VIKINGS LIKE HIM ENOUGH TO KEEP GIVING HIM A CHANCE AND WITH TASHAWN BOWER OUT OF THE MIX BECAUSE OF INJURY AND OTHER UNPROVEN PLAYERS VYING FOR A ROSTER SPOT, I THINK THE THIRD TIME IS A CHARM FOR ODENIGBO TO MAKE THE TEAM.
96 - DT ARMON WATTS
WAS A STUD AT ARKANSAS BEFORE BEING TAKEN IN THE 6TH ROUND THIS SPRING BY THE VIKINGS. ARMON MIGHT BE ONE OF THE ANGRIER PLAYERS ON THE FIELD AT ANY TIME. HAD A COUPLE TACKLES AND A PASS DEFENSED IN THE SAINTS GAME FRIDAY. HE'LL HAVE THE PRESEASON TO SHOW HIS STUFF, BUT AT THIS POINT IT FEELS LIKE THE PRACTICE SQUAD IS HIS NEXT STOP. TOUGH POSITION GROUP TO CRACK UNLESS YOU REALLY SPLASH. LINVAL/SHAMAR/HOLMES/JOHNSON....AND THEY REALLY LIKE HERCULES MATA'AFA....SO WATTS IS ON THE PRACTICE SQUAD.
97 - DE EVERSON GRIFFEN
WELCOME BACK, EV!!! EVERSON MISSED 5 GAMES LAST YEAR DUE TO SOME OFF-FIELD ISSUES THAT NEEDED HIS FULL ATTENTION. HAD 5.5 SACKS IN 11 GAMES. EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD IS THAT HE'S AS FRESH AS EVER AND BACK IN A HEALTHY PLACE MENTALLY/PHYSICALLY. THE VOCAL DEFENSIVE LEADER CLEARLY PLUGS BACK INTO A STARTING SPOT AND WILL HOPEFULLY BEGIN HARASSING QBs AT A HIGH LEVEL THAT WE'VE COME TO EXPECT AS FANS.
98 - DT LINVAL JOSEPH
LINVAL IS SO DAMN GOOD, THAT HE IS DOUBLE TEAMED ON NEARLY EVERY PLAY. WE'VE MADE JOKES ABOUT FLETCHER COX..."NEEDING 4 HANDS ON COX." THAT'S LINVAL'S PLIGHT AS A MAMMOTH FORCE IN THE MIDDLE. I THOUGHT HE HAD TROUBLE FIGHTING THROUGH THAT A BIT LAST YEAR AND WAS MAYBE DEALING WITH MINOR INJURIES THAT SLOWED HIM DOWN IN THE STRETCH OF THE 2018 SEASON. BIG PART OF THIS TEAM'S BOUNCEBACK IS HAVING A HEALTHY, HUNGRY LINVAL EATING UP THE ADVERSARY. HE DIDN'T PLAY AGAINST THE SAINTS BUT SHOULD BE BACK IN THE MIX SOON.
99 - DE DANIELLE HUNTER
HIS ARMS ARE BIGGER THAN MY WAIST. WELL, NOT QUITE THATTTT BIGGGG. IF HIS CAREER ARC CONTINUES ON THE PATH IT APPEARS TO BE ON, THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF DLINE COACH ANDRE PATTERSON'S GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS, FINDING A RAW TALENTED HUNTER IN THE 3RD ROUND OUT OF LSU AND CREATING A TRUE MONSTER. 6 OF HIS 14.5 SACKS CAME IN GAMES WITHOUT EVERSON GRIFFEN, SHOWING HIS ABILITY TO DOMINATE EVEN WHEN ALL THE EYES WERE ON HIM. THE BEST PASS RUSHER ON THIS SQUAD, NEED ANOTHER HUGE CAMPAIGN FROM HIM.