Minnesota Vikings snag hidden gem in 2025 NFL Draft with Tai Felton

The Minnesota Vikings used their third round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on former Maryland wide receiver Tai Felton, a guy who could make an immediate impact as a rookie.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings may have landed one of the sneakiest steals of the 2025 NFL Draft in wide receiver Tai Felton.

The former Maryland Terrapin was one of the most electric wide receivers to ever come through College Park, finishing his career ranked third all-time in career receptions (172), fourth all-time in receiving yards (2,207), and tied for fourth in receiving touchdowns (17). During his final year with the Terps in 2024, Felton led the Big Ten conference in receptions (96) and receiving yards (1,124).

Although Minnesota already has marquee wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, there's some confidence that a guy like Felton could work himself to becoming WR3 as a rookie with the Vikings.

In the 1️⃣3️⃣@taifelton pic.twitter.com/fFce3kMEAW
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) May 9, 2025

The scouting reports on Felton are pretty consistent across the board. He's got great top end speed and has shown the ability to create big chunk plays with his athleticism. But he's also going to have to show he can compete with the physicality of corners/DBs in the league, something he struggled with a bit during his time at Maryland. While he's not viewed as a guy who can be a No. 1 receiver at the NFL level, he's a great No. 3 option that could flourish in the Minnesota offense.