NFL Minnesota Vikings

5 Young Players Set to Break Out For the Minnesota Vikings in 2015

5 Young Players Set to Break Out For the Minnesota Vikings in 2015

Minnesota Vikings
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In Mike Zimmer's second season as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, there will be a lot of pressure on him to develop both the young men he's drafted along with the young men on the team before. For the organization to take the next step, these five players must prove their worth and break out in the 2015 NFL season.

5. Scott Crichton

Scott Crichton, Minnesota Vikings
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

5. Scott Crichton

Scott Crichton, Minnesota Vikings
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

After a stellar career at Oregon State, Crichton was taken in the third round in the 2014 NFL Draft. He found himself inactive for most of his rookie season, but he’ll compete to take an under-achieving Brian Robison's job opposite of Everson Griffin next season.

4. Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

4. Cordarrelle Patterson

Cordarrelle Patterson, Minnesota Vikings
Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

We’re all aware of Patterson’s struggles and what went wrong in his second season in the NFL. 2014 was supposed to be the year he broke out, but with another offseason to improve as a football player, not just an athlete, he’ll have no excuse not to be a main target for Teddy Bridgewater next season.

3. Jerick McKinnon

Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

3. Jerick McKinnon

Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Peterson praised the rookie out of Georgia Southern during training camp. After Peterson was suspended, McKinnon stepped up and filled in before being named a starter in Week 6. He went on to accumulate 672 all-purpose yards before going down with an injury in Week 12. It may be his job to lose if Peterson is no longer around.

2. Gerald Hodges

Gerald Hodges, Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

2. Gerald Hodges

Gerald Hodges, Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Hodges, a former fourth-round selection out of Penn State in 2013, will be inserted as a starter if the Vikings decide to move on from Chad Greenway this offseason. In the seven games he started this season, Hodges recorded 66 tackles, half a sack and one interception returned for a touchdown. Greenway will go down as one of the greatest Vikings ever, but 2015 should be Hodges' year to take over.

1. Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

1. Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater, Minnesota Vikings
Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Bridgewater was the most efficient rookie quarterback from the class of 2014 this past season. Completing nearly 65 percent of his passes and throwing for nearly 3,000 yards, he was named a finalist for Pepsi Rookie of the Year. With another offseason to get better and learn Norv Turner’s system, Bridgewater could bypass any type of sophomore slump in 2015.

Tyler Olson is an NFL and Miami Dolphins writer for www.RantSports.com.  Follow him on Twitter @to2471, like him on Facebook, and connect with him on Google.

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