- May 21, 2026
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Second-round pick Jake Golday has been working with the Vikings' off-ball linebackers since joining the team in April, but his long-term fit in the defense may not be that straightforward.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores's system offers opportunities for versatile players to fill multiple roles with Andrew Van Ginkel being an example of a player who has developed as an edge rusher while also seeing time in other spots on defense. Golday, who played defensive end at Central Arkansas before transferring to Cincinnati, has been compared to his veteran teammate by numerous people, including Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell.
“He has some of those characteristics to him,” O’Connell said, via Dave Campbell of the Associated Press. “We were fortunate enough to get him where we did.”
Golday said that he's hoping to get some first-hand tips from Van Ginkel as he moves into his rookie season.
“I’m my own person at the end of the day, but I can’t complain about that comparison. He’s an amazing player so I strive to be like a guy like that,” Golday said. “He just looks so calm out there all the time. It’s just crazy how he gets to the ball every single play. I’m like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to teach me your ways.’”
Van Ginkel played a lot of special teams early in his career and that figures to be part of the plan to get Golday on the field while the Vikings figure out exactly how they want to utilize him.
Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores's system offers opportunities for versatile players to fill multiple roles with Andrew Van Ginkel being an example of a player who has developed as an edge rusher while also seeing time in other spots on defense. Golday, who played defensive end at Central Arkansas before transferring to Cincinnati, has been compared to his veteran teammate by numerous people, including Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell.
“He has some of those characteristics to him,” O’Connell said, via Dave Campbell of the Associated Press. “We were fortunate enough to get him where we did.”
Golday said that he's hoping to get some first-hand tips from Van Ginkel as he moves into his rookie season.
“I’m my own person at the end of the day, but I can’t complain about that comparison. He’s an amazing player so I strive to be like a guy like that,” Golday said. “He just looks so calm out there all the time. It’s just crazy how he gets to the ball every single play. I’m like, ‘Dude, you’ve got to teach me your ways.’”
Van Ginkel played a lot of special teams early in his career and that figures to be part of the plan to get Golday on the field while the Vikings figure out exactly how they want to utilize him.