Tag: Michael Jurgens

Vikings sign three draft picks as rookie minicamp opens

The Minnesota Vikings announced the signings of rookies Michael Jurgens, Will Reichard, and Levi Drake Rodriguez as rookie minicamp opens.

The 2024 NFL draft was less than a month ago, but the work has just begun for the incoming class. The Minnesota Vikings kicked off their rookie minicamp and while the headlines are J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner taking the field for the first time, it’s not the only noteworthy thing to come out of the first day.

Today, the Vikings announced they have reached contract agreements with three more members of their rookie class: offensive lineman Michael Jurgens, kicker Will Reichard, and defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez.

The Vikings took Jurgens and Rodriguez with their two picks in the seventh round, while they were able to get Reichard in the sixth. With the signings of those three, the Vikings are left with four members of the 2024 draft class unsigned: the aforementioned McCarthy and Turner, along with fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson and sixth-rounder Walter Rouse.

With the rookie wage scale, signing the draft class is largely a formality, and fans should expect all four remaining unsigned rookies to be under contract before too long. Certainly, before the pre-season starts in earnest this summer.

Vikings select C Michael Jurgens with 230th overall pick in 2024 NFL Draft

The Minnesota Vikings have selected center Michael Jurgens with the 230th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The Minnesota Vikings have selected center Michael Jurgens with the 230th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The center out of Wake Forest comes in to compete for a roster spot in what the Vikings hope to be a deep offensive line group to allow for it to be healthy enough for their new franchise quarterback.

Jurgens was a 2nd team All-ACC selection in 2023 and has 34 career starts under his belt. All of his starts have come at the center position, so anything else would result in him learning and adapting to a new position. The team did sign Dan Feeney, who plays center, this offseason. Feeney is expected to backup Garrett Bradbury.

The majority of these day-three picks from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah have proven to be head scratchers to a point. Several other needs for the team have not been addressed thus far. Perhaps the team is loading up for a loaded UDFA signing class.