It was the first day of joint practices between the Vikings and the New England Patriots last month and a packed house at TCO Performance Center was flush with fans waiting for a reason to get up out of their seats. Enter rookie left guard Donovan Jackson, who the Vikings selected in first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. On a designed screen pass, veteran running back Aaron Jones caught the ball in space, prompting Jackson to take off in a dead sprint to clear a path. As he barreled into the open field like a freight train, Jackson spotted Patriots safety Jaylinn Hawkins in front of him.
