Brandon Zylstra impresses Mike Zimmer during Vikings mini-camp

There hasn’t been a lot of news coming out of this weekend’s Minnesota Vikings mini-camp in Eagan so far, but one player in particular seems to have caught the eye of the head coach, which can only be considered a positive for him.

Brandon Zylstra, a Minnesota native who played his college ball at Concordia College in Moorhead before heading to the CFL, is a player that head coach Mike Zimmer spoke of directly. The CFL’s leading receiver in 2017, Zylstra is apparently willing to do whatever the coaches tell him to secure a spot on the Vikings’ roster.

Q: What impressed you about Brandon Zylstra?

A: So far, he has done an unbelievable job out here in our Phase II stuff. Running routes, catching the ball. He looks quick. Smart guy, tough. He is out here today. I asked him, “Are you going to play special teams or are you just going to try to be a receiver?” He said “No, he is going to play.” I said “Ok, we’ll see.” That will be a big thing for him, too, is to learn how to play special teams. He has been impressive so far.

For a player like Zylstra, it’s very likely that he’s going to have to make his mark on special teams first before moving up the depth chart at wide receiver. With guys like Adam Thielen, Stefon Diggs, and Kendall Wright already well-established ahead of him, there might not be a lot of snaps to be had at the receiver spot, so a willingness to stand out on special teams would serve him well.

Is Brandon Zylstra going to make the Vikings’ 53-man roster? At this point, it’s obviously way too early to tell. But, with Mike Zimmer speaking highly about him already, it would appear he’s off to a pretty solid start.