The Minnesota Vikings still have some roster decisions to sort through, but one thing they’re hoping for is a breakout season from a player who came into the league through the XFL.
Defensive tackle Jalen Redmond is the name Alec Lewis of The Athletic pointed to as Minnesota’s top breakout star candidate for 2026. Redmond, who played for the Arlington Renegades in the formerly named XFL, joined the Vikings in what Lewis described as a whim move. Since then, he’s earned the trust of defensive coordinator Brian Flores and carved out a real role.
“Redmond played for the Arlington Renegades in the formerly named XFL,” Alec Lewis wrote. “The Vikings signed him on a whim.
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores took to his intensity and commitment almost immediately, and Redmond has shown why in the last couple of seasons. He holds the point of attack against the run.
“He wins with quickness in one-on-one pass-rush situations. Because the Vikings got rid of veteran defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, they’re relying on Redmond to set the standard for a unit of talented youngsters like Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange.”
That responsibility lines up with how the Vikings have already viewed him internally. Redmond won the team’s Unsung Hero award last year, and head coach Kevin O’Connell made it clear then that the defensive tackle had become an important part of the group.
“There's a standard to his play,” O’Connell said last season. “It's shown up every single week, and it goes back a lot before everybody kind of started to notice it.
For us, it just felt like he was a guy that we wanted to make sure was on the field as much as possible. He's a really good player.
I think he's developed throughout his time here and really is starting to understand how he fits within the defense.
“Love the player and everything he brings to our defense and our building every day.”
The numbers back up the buzz. Pro Football Focus gave Redmond an overall grade of 72.7, which ranked him No. 22 among 134 defensive interior players. He was especially strong against the run, where he finished as the No. 10 run defender in the league, according to PFF.
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