3 Vikings Rookies With the Most to Prove vs. Giants: Time to Find Out If the Claiborne Hype Is Real

The first-year RB—and two more rookies—is among the Vikings who need to make a statement.

Demond Claiborne is one of three Vikings rookies who are worth monitoring in the team's preseason opener. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After months of anticipation, preseason football is here for the Vikings. On Saturday, the Purple and Gold will take the field at MetLife Stadium against the Giants in an exhibition game that will showcase many young and inexperienced players.

This time of year is exceptionally important for rookies. Although the first-year Vikings have already made an impression in training camp, a solid performance in preseason can go a long way toward earning a spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad.

For many players, training camp and preseason are their only opportunities to keep their dream of playing professional football alive. The stakes are insanely high for those players since they may not get another chance to prove themselves.

Three players for the Vikings will be desperate to prove their worth against the Giants on Sunday. Here are three rookies who have a lot to prove in the first exhibition game for the Purple and Gold.

3. Gavin Gerhardt, OL

Even though the Vikings used a seventh-round pick on center Gavin Gerhardt, he finds himself in a tough spot entering the preseason.

Not only is Blake Brandel expected to be the starter, but Michael Jurgens is listed as his backup on the unofficial depth chart. However, during training camp, Joe Huber has been getting reps at center, giving the Minnesota draftee even more competition for a roster spot.

If he can't prove himself, the Vikings can save $885,000 in cap space by cutting Gerhardt, per Spotrac.

2. Marcus Allen, DB

An undrafted free agent out of North Carolina, Marcus Allen looks like a player who could thrive in Minnesota's defensive secondary.

The 6-foot-1, 197-pound cornerback can use his size and athleticism to match up against opposing pass catchers in a way that others at his position can't. Unfortunately for him, he faces a cornerback room where Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre should all be considered safe bets for the 53-man roster.

Despite being a UDFA, Marcus Allen seems to have what it takes to be a legitimate contributor with the Vikings. That said, he'll need a strong preseason to force the team's hand, given the competition he faces. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When factoring in the emergence of Chuck Demmings during training camp, Allen could be left battling for one, possibly two, remaining spots this season, and a good performance against the Giants would go a long way for him to make his case.

1. Demond Claiborne, RB

The Vikings took Demond Claiborne in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and he's since showcased his speed in training camp. He will have to continue to be impressive to earn a roster spot since Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason are all but guaranteed to make the 53-man roster, while Zavier Scott is returning after a solid year as the No. 3 running back.

A strong performance in Week 1 of the preseason would go a long way toward proving to the coaching staff that Claiborne should be on the roster this season. Considering how the Giants allowed the second-most rushing yards per game and an NFL-worst 5.3 yards per carry, the rookie runner should have plenty of opportunities to make his case this weekend.

Get Vikings On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.