Minnesota Vikings practice on Saturday was a bit dull by the standards of the organization. However, one rookie stood out on Saturday afternoon. That was running back Demond Claiborne, who was able to record some touchdowns on the day. This was reported by Bring Me The Sports’ Will Ragatz.
Claiborne took a handoff from quarterback Carson Wentz, and was able to jump cut through the hole to find open space. He then ran to the end zone for the score, after going untouched on the play. It was one of the highlights of the day, in what was a bit of an uneven practice for the Vikings. Ragatz elaborated on what that looked like.
Rookie running back Demond Claiborne had one of the offensive highlights of the day, taking a handoff from Carson Wentz and exploding through the left side of the offensive line after a nice jump cut. He was basically untouched, so it was a legit long touchdown run and not a training camp touchdown where the back would’ve been tackled.
This was certainly good to see, as the rookie tries to work his way into the Vikings running back room. The room itself is largely settled, with veterans like Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason carrying the torch. To make matters even more exciting for the Vikings, Jones believes he can play at least 10 more years. However, running back depth is extremely important. Claiborne can provide that.
Vikings Rookie Showed Explosiveness In College
We saw what Claiborne could do at the collegiate level in terms of explosiveness and playmaking ability. He had several instances last season where he showed how explosive he could be. A perfect example was an 85-yard touchdown run against Western Carolina. He took a handoff, and was able to execute a cutback up the middle to clear the line of scrimmage. He went completely untouched for the score. That cutback move is something that has become synonymous with him.
Another example of his explosiveness and playmaking ability came against Oregon State in October. Claiborne showed his ability to explode out of the backfield. He was able to get the whole can follow his blockers for a touchdown. Once he got to the second level of the defense, he immediately accelerated and was able to take it in for the score.
Rookie Could Be Future of Vikings RB Room
Claiborne’s strong play during training camp could be a great thing for the Vikings. Jones is the veteran in the backfield. He is only 31 years of age, so he will have a few more solid seasons with the Vikings. Jordan Mason is a bit younger at 27 years of age. The Vikings are not necessarily in a position where they need Claiborne to step up right away. However, his emergence is certainly a good thing as far as training camp is concerned. It gives the Vikings an idea of what they have to work with in the room and the depth pieces that they can count on when needed.
It will be interesting to see what he will be able to do during the preseason. One has to think that he will get some reps, as players like Jones and Mason will sit out for the majority of the action during the regular season. This could be Claiborne’s time to shine, as the Vikings offense looks to find as much depth and playmaking as possible.
There is still a long way to go and games and practice reps to be played. Nevertheless, the running back is making a strong impression. He’s doing what he needs to do to not only get the coaches’ attention, but also stay alive in a crowded running back room.
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