The XFL Reject Now Viewed as Minnesota’s Next Defensive Breakout

The Minnesota Vikings have a new face in the middle of their defensive line, and he didn’t come from a top college program or a high draft pick. Jalen Redmond, a former XFL player, is suddenly the guy the Vikings are counting on most up front.

The Athletic’s Alec Lewis called Redmond the team’s top breakout star candidate heading into 2026. That is not the kind of label you’d expect for a guy the Vikings signed on what Lewis described as a whim a couple of years back.

But here’s the thing. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores saw something almost immediately. Flores liked Redmond’s intensity and his commitment. And over the last two seasons, Redmond has backed it up with actual production.

He holds the point of attack against the run. He wins with quickness in one-on-one pass-rush situations. Against the Vikings’ offensive line in practice, he’s reportedly been a consistent problem.

The Vikings let veteran defensive tackles Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave walk this offseason. That leaves a pretty young group in the middle: Redmond, Caleb Banks, Dominique Orange. And Redmond is the one expected to set the tone.

Redmond Already Has Hardware and a Coach’s Trust

Last season, Redmond won the team’s Unsung Hero award, per vikings.com. That’s not a throwaway thing. The coaches vote on that one.

Kevin O’Connell made it clear last year that Redmond had earned a real role on this defense. “There’s a standard to his play,” O’Connell said. “It’s shown up every single week, and it goes back a lot before everybody kind of started to notice it. For us, it just felt like he was a guy that we wanted to make sure was on the field as much as possible. He’s a really good player. I think he’s developed throughout his time here and really is starting to understand how he fits within the defense. Love the player and everything he brings to our defense and our building every day.”

That kind of public backing from a head coach matters. Especially for a guy who wasn’t even in the league two years ago.

By the Numbers

Pro Football Focus graded Redmond at 72.7 overall for last season. That ranked him No. 22 among 134 interior defensive linemen. Against the run, he graded out even better — No. 10 in the entire league at his position, according to PFF.

You don’t stumble into those numbers. Especially not when you’re still learning an NFL defense after coming from the XFL’s Arlington Renegades.

Redmond’s path is a reminder that roster building isn’t always about first-round picks. Sometimes it is about a guy who just needed a chance. And maybe a defensive coordinator who saw something nobody else did.