Four Vikings rookies — QB Kellen Mond, LB Chazz Surratt, WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette and RB Kene Nwangwu — have been named a part of the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere Class of 2021.
A little bit about the class:
“The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) and its marketing and licensing business unit NFL Players Inc. are pleased to announce the NFLPA Rookie Premiere Class of 2021. In its 27th year, NFLPA Rookie Premiere presented by Panini America has represented a rite of passage for many of the game’s most marketable rookie stars to learn the business of football and jumpstart their endorsement careers.
Rookie Premiere is customarily an exclusive trading card content and marketing event for presenting partner Panini America, along with a slate of other NFLPA partners. Players are selected as part of the Rookie Premiere class primarily by Panini America based on position, college performance, draft status as well as projected overall demand and marketability. All these factors impact a rookie’s trading card value, even before they have played a down in a game. Fueled by NFL players, Panini enjoyed a second consecutive year of record growth in 2020. The rookie cards and autographs from this year’s class of players will be featured throughout Panini’s complete 2021 NFL trading card portfolio.”
Surratt is just one of two linebackers in the group, with the other one being Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys. The other three rookies, however, are part of well-represented position groups in this year’s class.
Surratt made the unconventional switch from quarterback to linebacker in his collegiate career. He showed flashes of promise at UNC, especially in pass coverage. Now, he has a chance to take over the linebacker three spot on the team in 2021.
Besides Surratt, Ihmir Smith-Marsette also has a chance at a lot of reps in 2021, due to the lack of depth beyond Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson in the Vikings wide receiver room.