Catch. Sidestep. Spin. Explode.

The hitch – and go! – Tai Felton executed last fall against UConn, improbably turning a short reception into a long touchdown, embodied everything he's bringing to Minnesota: focus, speed, effort and finish.

It showed "all facets of Tai's game," Maryland Head Coach Mike Locksley told the Star Tribune, "with his ability to catch a ball cleanly, turn, square people up, make a guy miss, and then just his finishing speed."

Andrew Krammer checked in recently with Felton's college coach, as well as Vikings wide receivers mentor Keenan McCardell and others to spotlight the third-round rookie pass-catcher.

In his article, Krammer included anecdotes of Felton's start in football as a "skinny" running back; his short leave from the gridiron for a year in middle school that was inspired by his Kobe Bryant fandom; and Felton's lofty standards, which helped him overcome a confidence-killing ACL injury in high school.

Krammer shared the following:

Before Felton, the older of Iteago and Shannon Felton's two children, had a football in his hands, he was holding an unplugged controller playing "Madden" with his dad.

"I feel like football has always been in my blood since I was a little kid," Felton said. "They say my first steps weren't walking, I was always running. I feel like that's where I got my speed from."

Felton's football career started at age 7 in youth leagues that morphed into a travel team formed by Iteago and other parents, who were among the estimated 100 to 115 people at Felton's draft party.

When the former Maryland star finally got word he was being selected with the last pick of the second night of the 2025 NFL Draft, he was greeted over the phone by an animated McCardell, who coached wide receivers at Maryland a decade ago (2014-15) and said he basically "ran" Felton's Pro Day workout.

"It was a really good workout. I told him, 'Hey, man, you got me thinking now. If I get a chance, I'm going to fight to get you,'" McCardell recalled to Krammer. "He can play special teams and do a lot of things to help us as a team, first, and then as a receiver. I think he's going to be a good Viking for a long time."

Locksley, who's coached a number of great playmakers around the college block, added, "He's in the same realm as (former Vikings wide receiver) Stefon Diggs, a D.J. Moore, a Calvin Ridley.

"The one thing I cautioned Keenan on is he has a tremendous amount of talent, but Tai can get down on himself at times," Locksley continued. "That's where I think Keenan is a great situation for Tai."

When Felton's junior campaign at Stone Bridge High School was capsized by a torn ACL on a punt return – years before he set the Maryland program record for catches in a season (96) – he felt down and largely forgotten about. Colleges pulled scholarship offers. Recruiting mail halted. But Maryland, and a few others, maintained their interest. Locksley's loyalty was mighty important to Felton and his family.

Even then, his college career got off to a slowish start.

"My confidence was definitely shot," Felton explained to Krammer. "I didn't know what was going on [and] had to learn a big college playbook. My high school actually ran single wing. When I got to Maryland, we were running a spread offense. So, it took me a little bit to learn the playbook and realize I'm a 17-year-old kid playing against some grown people and the game is moving faster."

As Felton's confidence returned, his game exploded, akin to his body after reeling in a quick pass.

He shared a simple phrase with McCardell during their draft night call: "It's time to go to work now."

Check out Krammer's complete article on the former Terps star here.

An early look at NFC North

The Black and Blue Division was a beast last year, producing three playoff teams – but no playoff wins.

Amazingly, it's plausible the intra-division competition is stiffer in 2025 because of on-paper improvements by Minnesota, Green Bay and Detroit – although, the Lions lost their offensive and defensive coordinators to head coaching roles – and Chicago's resourcefulness in the offseason.

On Monday, Jacob Robinson of The Athletic previewed what could wind up being a "true four-horse race." Including BetMGM's expected win totals, he explored each team, delving into topics ranging from key questions and positions to watch, to breakout candidates and a bottom-line assessment of potential.

For instance, will this NFC North squad be better than in 2024?

Robinson answered positively regarding the Vikings, suggesting the franchise could make noise in the playoffs for the first time in Head Coach Kevin O'Connell's tenure – under the condition that 22-year-old quarterback J.J. McCarthy outperforms former starter Sam Darnold, which of course is a towering task.

Darnold, now with Seattle, made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career last season after passing for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. While his comeback arc was damaged in his last two games as a Viking (losses at Detroit and against the Rams), he set a high bar for the No. 10 pick of 2024.

Optimistically, Robinson noted McCarthy has lost just three games since graduating elementary school.

Robinson also pointed out the reports of McCarthy's efficiency in last week's minicamp, along with his impressive arm talent, and comfort and command so far in O'Connell's quarterback-friendly offense.

The continuous development of those tidbits are essential to Robinson's key question about the Vikings: Is J.J. McCarthy an improvement over Sam Darnold? Letting Darnold walk in free agency was one indicator that Minnesota's leadership trusted its initial evaluation and was ready for McCarthy to start.

Not changing his tune, Robinson outlined "quarterback" as the position to watch this upcoming season and McCarthy as the club's player primed for a breakout due to Minnesota's "world-class infrastructure."

Robinson wrote the following:

Enough already? The Vikings also chose to forego the Aaron Rodgers show, instead going all in on McCarthy. When beat reporter (and The Athletic teammate) Alec Lewis asked a colleague for their top-five list of needs for a winning season in Minnesota, their answer was telling: "McCarthy's knee, McCarthy's arm, McCarthy's feet, McCarthy's eyes and McCarthy's mind."

It helps that the Vikings roster is well-rounded and the organization ready to win from top to bottom.

Read about the other NFC North contenders in Robinson’s divisional preview.

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