The Vikings are considering Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday as they seek to bolster their linebacker corps. Golday, a 2025 first-team All-Big 12 selection, will visit the team later this week.
Key points
Vikings need help at linebacker
Jake Golday is a 2025 first-team All-Big 12 selection
Golday will visit the Vikings later this week
Current top linebackers include Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace
Jake GoldayVikingsCincinnati
Vikings Bring In a āBig, Explosive Linebackerā as Decision Time Nears
As a result, the recent news surrounding a Bearcat ābacker should cause those who follow Vikings football to take notice. KTSPās Darren Wolfson offers the word, writing, āAdd Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday to the list of #Vikings draft visitors. Hear that heāll be in later this week. He was 1st team All-Big 12 in 2025.ā
Vikings Digging into Jake Golday
Lance Zierlein grinds through draft profiles; Golday didnāt elude his pre-draft research.
Check out the assessment: āGolday is a big, explosive linebacker with a game best suited for work near the line of scrimmage. He attacks climbing blockers with heavy, aggressive hands. He also shows the strength to stack, compress gaps and finish with authority. While his performance at the point of attack stands out, he can be a little late diagnosing play design and needs to work with a more preemptive downhill trigger at times. Heās more powerful than elusive as a blitzer and is average in coverage. Goldayās traits, explosiveness and field demeanor should make him an early special teams standout with the potential to eventually start at Sam or inside linebacker.ā
Q&A
Who is Jake Golday and why is he significant for the Vikings?
Jake Golday is a linebacker from Cincinnati and a 2025 first-team All-Big 12 selection, making him a potential asset for the Vikings' defense.
What are the current linebacker options for the Vikings?
The Vikings currently have Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace as their top linebackers, but they are looking to enhance this position.
When will Jake Golday visit the Vikings?
Jake Golday is scheduled to visit the Vikings later this week as part of their draft evaluation process.
What impact could Jake Golday have on the Vikings' defense?
Adding Jake Golday could significantly improve the Vikings' linebacker unit, providing them with a young and explosive player.
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Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baylor Bears tight end Michael Trigg (1) is unable to hold on to a catch as he is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) and defensive back Tre Gola-Callard (6) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Oct 25, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baylor Bears tight end Michael Trigg (1) is unable to hold on to a catch as he is tackled by Cincinnati Bearcats linebacker Jake Golday (11) and defensive back Tre Gola-Callard (6) in the second half at Nippert Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Lots to like within the description. Possessing good size and being explosive will always fascinate football evaluators, but there are other intriguing details in the short blurb.
A linebacker wants to pack electricity in his mitts. Quite often, being able to fend off climbing blockers ā an unfair fight due to not having the same size ā involves powerful hands that can knock a lineman back. Having long arms and bad intentions certainly helps in this regard.
Zierleinās assessment is that heās more of a downhill player who needs polish to become stronger in all aspects of being a linebacker, but thatās to be expected of a young fella going in the 2nd. Having close to zero flaws means going in the top ten, not the top fifty.
At 6ā4ā³ and close to 240 pounds, Jake Golday comes in with a build thatās closer to Anthony Barr (6ā5ā³, 255) than Eric Kendricks (6ā0ā³, 230). Blending their abilities would be a nice win, but thatās quite a lofty standard. In theory, Golday should be someone who can hang with tight ends due to his size, wrestle in the trenches, and chase down runners with his long arms and 4.6 speed.
Eric Kendricks & Anthony Barr
Dec 16, 2018; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) celebrates with linebacker Eric Kendricks (54) during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
During the 2025 season, Golday tossed up 105 tackles. He did so while also putting 3.5 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble onto the stat sheet.
A large part of what makes him a fit for the Vikings is that he got shuffled around. Per PFF, Goldayās most recent season involved picking up 314 snaps in the box, 248 snaps in the slot, and 117 snaps along the defensive line. Thatās the sort of versatility that can be hard to come by, but Brian Flores tends to value those players.
As mentioned, both of Wilson and Pace similarly played linebacker at Cincinnati while in college. Furthermore, the Vikings have been looking into Jack Dingle, another Bearcat linebacker. The interest in Golday is therefore following a well-worn path.
With a 9.85 RAS Score, Golday grades as an elite athlete. Heās 22.
