Daily Norseman
Vikings fans, training camp heats up in <2 weeks! Forget J.J. McCarthy—dive into hidden gems with The Real Forno Show’s Tyler Forness & Dave Stefano. Tyler’s TOP 10 Mr. Mankato rankings: Zemaiah Vaughn, Silas Bolden lead the pack! Who’ll breakout?
Vikings Training Camp 2025: Tyler Forness Reveals Top 10 Mr. Mankato Contenders—Who Will Emerge as the Next Breakout Star? As the Minnesota Vikings prepare for training camp starting in less than two weeks, the spotlight shifts from J.J. McCarthy to under-the-radar talents battling for roster spots and the unofficial Mr. Mankato award. In this episode of The Real Forno Show, hosted by Tyler Forness and Dave Stefano on the Vikings 1st & SKOL production partnered with the Fans First Sports Network, Forness unveils his power rankings of potential winners, drawing on expert analysis and historical precedents like Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs.
This podcast dives deep into the focus on the Mr. Mankato tradition, an award created back in 2014 and still continues by SKOR North’s Judd Zulgad and Phil Mackey to honor unheralded players—third-round picks or later, or undrafted free agents, rookies or not, with fewer than 100 career offensive/defensive snaps.
Forness, a Vikings reporter for A to Z Sports and contributor to Purple Daily, breaks down his top 10 rankings with insightful commentary on each contender’s athletic profile, potential fit in Brian Flores’ defense or Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and preseason opportunities. Stefano complements with graphics and his own list, emphasizing offseason buzz around players like Zemaiah Vaughn and Silas Bolden, while highlighting challenges for interior linemen. The discussion underscores how fan influence and beat writer reports shape the award, blending excitement for camp battles with realistic projections for the 2025 Vikings depth chart.
