The Minnesota Vikings may have a running back gem on their hands. Rookie running back Demond Claiborne generated some buzz from The Athletic earlier this week, with training camp on the horizon.
Claiborne was drafted in the sixth round with the 198th overall selection. He turned heads at the scouting combine with a 4.37-second 40-yard dash. This was the third-fastest time among all running backs in the draft class. Now, he could have the potential to turn heads at the pro level as well.
The Minnesota Vikings have a solid running back room with Aaron Jones Sr. and Tre Mason leading the way. However, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis noted that Claiborne should not be forgotten as well.
“Demond Claiborne, RB: Executives, coaches and teammates quietly raved about his movement skills this spring. If he can master the system, pass protection rules and ball security, buckle your seatbelts.”
Vikings Rookie Has Notable Skillset
Explosiveness and playmaking ability are two hallmarks of his game. It was evident very early on, and he showed it at the collegiate level. He started his tenure at Wake Forest slowly, recording only 14 carries for 57 yards in 10 games. However, a production increase followed in 2023 as he was able to record 137 carries for 586 yards. The 2024 campaign was where he really began to take off. He tallied 1,049 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
All of those productive seasons culminated in a strong 2025 senior campaign. He had 179 carries for 907 yards and 10 touchdowns. Claiborne also proved to be a dual-threat running back out of the backfield. He caught 55 passes for 424 yards during his collegiate career. Running that finished ninth in Wake Forest history for 3,600 total all-purpose yards.
The playmaker also won some accolades along the way. He was named to the 2025 All-ACC second team as well as the 2024 All-ACC Third Team. Heading into 2025, he was named to the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year, and Paul Hornung Trophy Watch Lists. It was no secret that he was one of the most explosive backs in all of college football.
Now, he will look to show those skills in a Vikings running back room that could use youth at the position. There’s no denying that his speed is evident and a major part of his game. That being said, there are certainly a lot more aspects of being an NFL running back than just purely speed. It will be intriguing to see how it fits into the offense.
A Vikings Running Back Option For The Future
At any rate, it seems like the coaches are high on what he can do. This gives the Vikings a bona fide speed running back and a player that they can develop at the position. Jones is 31, and Mason is 27. Mason in particular is entering the prime of his career. Jones could be viewed as starting to trend towards the back half. At the very least, Claiborne will be able to provide another player for the Vikings to supplement the position with.
Claiborne will be interesting to watch over the course of training camp. He may not get a ton of meaningful snaps right away, but the talent is definitely there. Now, it is just about putting it all together for a team that has several young weapons on offense.
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