Tag: Brian Cole II

Vikings sign LB David Reese II, waive S Brian Cole II

The Minnesota Vikings waived safety Brian Cole II and added linebacker David Reese II, the team announced Wednesday. 

The Vikings waived safety Brian Cole II and added linebacker David Reese II, the team announced Wednesday.

Cole II played a position that Minnesota already has talent at, which can make it tougher to make the team.

Add in the fact that training camp is taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic, and it becomes even more difficult as there are less opportunities to impress the team than usual. Cole II was taken by the Vikings in the seventh round of this year’s NFL draft.

In his place is Reese II, a player who can possibly pan out as decent linebacker depth. Reese II, also a rookie, arrives to the team after getting signed, then released by the Carolina Panthers.

Vikings defensive assistant Dom Capers recently talked about how the Vikings “base out of a 4-3 but we have a lot of different looks and multiple sets.”

Those different looks and sets open up the opportunities for more linebackers to earn playing time. If Reese II surprises people by moving up the depth chart, then he could be the beneficiary of such scenarios.

Vikings draft Mississippi State safety Brian Cole II at 249 overall in NFL Draft

Another physical prospect for the secondary. Please welcome safety Brian Cole II to the Vikings.

One of the biggest needs in this year’s draft for the Vikings was the secondary and the team put a ton of draft capital into that position. They invested five total picks in the secondary throughout the draft, including pick No. 249 on Mississippi State safety Brian Cole II. 

Cole is another safety that isn’t the greatest when it comes to attacking the ball when it’s in the air, which is weird considering he is a former wide receiver. He is another physical prospect that needs some work in pass coverage, but is more than willing to deliver the big hits. 

He is able to bump down and cover running backs and tight ends in the slot and he has the size to match up well with bigger tight ends. Cole stands at 6-2, 213 pounds and runs a 4.52 40-yard dash. 

In his 2019 season, Cole was a captain at Mississippi State. He registered 65 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception in his final collegiate season. 

The Vikings clearly have a type when it comes to selecting safeties over the years. They like physical safeties that are willing to help out in the run game. The Vikings have done a good job over the years at finding similar safeties to Harrison Smith, who can work their way up the depth chart. 

Anthony Harris was an undrafted free agent and Jayron Kearse was a seventh-round pick. Kearse never made it into a starting role before leaving for Detroit in free agency, but he did play a critical role in winning some football games in 2019. 

If either of the two safeties want to make an impact for the Vikings in 2020, they will have to start by impressing on special teams. It is likely that they both could make the 53-man roster, given the Vikings have no depth behind Harris and Smith.

Cole certainly has the size and speed to contribute on kick coverage and it will be interesting to see if he is able to work his way up the depth chart by showing off his physicality on special teams.