Andrew Van Ginkel sees Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins as a name worth circling as the Minnesota Vikings get deeper into training camp.
The second-year defensive tackle did not get a ton of runway as a rookie, but the early signs have clearly caught the eye of one of the team’s most established defenders. Van Ginkel said Ingram-Dawkins has been turning heads from the start of camp.
"He's a guy that is going to take a big step forward this year," Ginkel told reporters." I'm excited to see him play because these first three or four practices, he's made a play every single day.
And he's a guy that is another one of those guys that's eager to learn, and he's truly bringing it on a day-to-day basis. I think he's going to be a guy to watch this preseason."
That kind of praise matters coming from Van Ginkel, who has been a major piece of Minnesota’s defense over the last few seasons. It also fits the broader picture in Minnesota, where Brian Flores has been pushing younger defenders up the depth chart and giving them chances to earn real roles.
Ingram-Dawkins was a fifth-round pick last season, and he spent much of the year buried behind Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave, and Jalen Redmond. Even so, he found a way to contribute in 14 games with one start, finishing with 12 tackles, two tackles for loss, one quarterback hit, one sack, and one pass deflection.
Van Ginkel believes those snaps mattered, even if they didn’t produce a big breakout on the stat sheet.
"That confidence is growing. He knows it's his time.
You know, he knows that he needs to step up and, you know, it's his spot. And, you know, he's got a lot to prove.
He got in a little bit last year, but never really made those big splash plays, and I think that he's determined to make an impact on this team and to be a star."
The path ahead still isn’t simple. Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and rookie first-round pick Caleb Banks are all ahead of him, and Ingram-Dawkins may again be fighting for rotational snaps rather than a full-time role. How much he plays could also hinge on Banks and whether he is fully healthy when the 2026 season opens.
For now, preseason is the stage where Ingram-Dawkins can start changing the conversation. If he keeps stacking plays the way Van Ginkel described, the Vikings may have another young defender pushing his way into the picture sooner than expected.
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