There’s a New Thing Called ‘Vilbert the Viking’

SI.com‘s Will Ragatz wrote, “After the conclusion of their rookie minicamp on Friday, the Vikings signed former Penn State and North Carolina defensive lineman Smith Vilbert to an undrafted free agent contract, according to his agent Brett Tessler. Vilbert was one of 21 rookie tryout players at Friday’s camp and must have impressed the coaching staff in a short time period.”

“Standing nearly 6’6″ and 290 pounds, Vilbert has 34-inch arms and brings some versatility. He lined up mostly as an edge defender in college but can also play on the interior of the D-line. A New Jersey native, Vilbert was a three-star recruit coming out of high school in 2019 and chose Penn State over several other big-time offers.”

Ever since Minnesota discovered defensive tackle Jalen Redmond two years ago, under-the-radar DL additions turn heads for Vikings fans.

The Background

Vilbert embodies a classic “lottery-ticket” addition for the Vikings: a big, long, and experienced prospect who faces a steep climb to the 53-man roster.

Physically, he checks all the boxes, standing at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 282 pounds. His imposing frame gives Minnesota a rookie defensive lineman capable of fitting into various roles, from traditional defensive tackle to five-technique or a larger edge presence. Such versatility is crucial in Flores’ defense, which frequently demands front-seven players to move around, disguise formations, and take on multiple assignments.

However, his college production doesn’t exactly scream “instant-impact rookie.” Though older than the average first-year player, his collegiate resume is more intriguing than dominant. While he showed flashes at both Penn State and North Carolina, Vilbert enters the NFL more as a developmental project than a polished defender ready for immediate contributions. Hence the undrafted free-agent status.

The Vikings have already invested significantly in the defensive line with Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange, so Vilbert’s most realistic path involves showcasing flashes in training camp, earning preseason reps, proving himself on special teams, and potentially securing a practice squad spot.

Nevertheless, his combination of size, length, and positional versatility makes him precisely the type of undrafted or minicamp prospect Flores is keen to develop. Especially if Belichick brokered the deal.

Penn State defensive end Smith Vilbert waits before kickoff on Oct. 23, 2021, at Beaver Stadium in University Park ahead of a matchup against Illinois. Vilbert spent several seasons developing in the Big Ten before later transferring to North Carolina, where his size and athletic profile helped draw additional NFL interest as a versatile defensive lineman. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports.

The Viking Age‘s Adam Carlson on Vilbert: “Vilbert played 47 games in college, spending all but 12 of those with Penn State before transferring to North Carolina. His statistics at Penn State were not very impressive, but he got significantly more productive once arriving with ill Belichick at UNC.”

“In those 12 games at North Carolina, Smith Vilbert had 22 combined tackles, including six tackles for a loss and one sack. In addition, he accumulated two pass defenses and recovered two fumbles while forcing one fumble. A six-foot-six, 256-pound defender, Vilbert was projected to be a Day 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with a comparison to Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Jack Crawford by Brian Dohn at 247 Sports.”

Updated OLB Room

The Vikings’ interior defensive line room has changed substantially since the club released Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. It also traded Jonathan Greenard during the draft.

If Minnesota uses Vilbert as an EDGE rusher, here’s the OLB group at the moment:

OLB1: Andrew Van Ginkel
OLB2: Dallas Turner
OLB3: Bo Richter
OLB4: Tyler Batty
OLB5: Chaz Chambliss
OLB6: Cam’Ron Stewart
OLB7: Jordan Botelho
OLB8: Arden Walker
OLB9: Smith Vilbert

For good measure, though Vilbert has an outside linebacker’s frame, here’s the DT unit:

DE1: Jalen Redmond
DE2: Caleb Banks
DE3: Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
DE4: Elijah Williams
DE5: Monkell Goodwine
NT1: Domonique Orange
NT2: Levi Drake Rodriguez
NT3: Taki Taimani

Summer Trajectory

Vilbert, of course, is at the very bottom of the Vikings’ 90-man roster. It would actually be strange for Minnesota to strike oil twice in two years on stud defensive linemen out of nowhere: Redmond and Vilbert.

North Carolina defensive end Smith Vilbert wraps up Stanford running back Micah Ford during first-quarter action on Nov. 8, 2025, at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Vilbert earned attention from NFL evaluators because of his combination of length, size, and positional versatility, traits that allowed him to contribute both on the edge and near the interior defensive front. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images.

Therefore, Vilbert will likely vie for a practice squad spot at training camp and in the preseason. There, he could bide his time and possibly claw his way up the depth chart.

Remember, though, Belichick helped refine his skill set at North Carolina. There’s a small chance that he could be a diamond in the rough.