Speed kills in the NFL. And the Minnesota Vikings have plenty of it with running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu.
If there’s one thing coach Kevin O’Connell is really good at doing, it’s maximizing the use of all of his weapons on the offensive side of the ball.
Of course, Nwangwu isn’t beating out Dalvin Cook or Alexander Mattison for touches, but you better believe he’s going to see more opportunities with O’Connell at the helm than he did with Mike Zimmer.
The Star Tribune’s Andrew Krammer is already seeing it on the practice field.
“I think this running back room is really deep, and it’s fun to watch Kene Nwangwu out here,” said Krammer. “It’s fun to watch Mattison, Cook—I’m really interested to see how they creatively get those guys involved because they have a lot of different talents, a lot of versatility.
“And Kene’s a guy we didn’t get to see much on offense. I’m really curious to see if they get him more involved out there on the offensive side. And he’s going to be a fun one to watch.”
O’Connell loves formations with multiple running backs on the field at once to increase his chances of creating mismatches. So that mindset alone will open the door for more opportunities for a playmaker like Nwangwu to factor into the offense.
At the end of the day, isn’t the goal to get the ball into the hands of your best playmakers?
Nwangwu is already a home run threat when returning kicks. He would equally be the same as a running back or a receiver with the ball in his hands on offense.
KENE NWANGWU GOES 98 YARDS.
Kickoff RETURNED. #SKOL @KWang3_
📺: #MINvsBAL on FOX
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/eegXYoWL5a— NFL (@NFL) November 7, 2021
The blistering speed and shifty footwork from the fourth-round draft pick out of Iowa State could leave defenders choking on his smoke. It all comes down to the creativity and the way he’s actually utilized on the football field.
And who better to do that than O’Connell, the man that just coached one of the most creative and explosive offenses in the league, the Los Angeles Rams, to a Super Bowl victory?
Don’t be surprised to see Nwangwu break out as a niche option for the Vikings in 2022.
