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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tyler Forness

Vikings 90-man roster player profile: DT Khyiris Tonga

Welcome to the beginning of our 2023 season preview content!

Over the next few weeks, we will be looking at each player on the 90-man roster in-depth with backgrounds and how they currently project forward on the Minnesota Vikings roster.

What is the best-case scenario? What is the worst-case scenario? What should we expect from them during the preseason and beyond? We will break all of that down here.

As a staff, all of us at Vikings Wire ranked the entire 90-man roster 1-90 and will be releasing player profiles in reverse order.

Background

David Berding/Getty Images

Name: Khyiris Tonga

Rank: 19

Height: 6’4″

Weight: 338 lbs

Experience: 3rd year

College: BYU

Stats (In NFL): 26 games, 4 starts, 52 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, 2 quarterback hits, 0.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 1 fumble recovery

Votes:

Tyler Forness: 19

Kevin Fielder: 19

Judd Zulgad: 18

Saivion Mixson: 19

Average: 18.75

Best case scenario

Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Tonga earns the starting nose tackle job and takes a massive step forward in 2023. He looked really good as a sub-package pass rusher last season after the Vikings acquired him via waivers in September of 2022. Tonga is a nose tackle by trade but showed potential as a 5T/4i.

Worst case scenario

Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

What we saw in 2022 was a mirage and won’t be duplicated in 2023. His 10 pressures in 151 pass-rush snaps were mostly from the outside. With Tonga likely getting a starting role in 2023 at nose tackle, his responsibilities will change and so could his impact on the game.

What to expect in 2023

NMark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Unless you have freaky athleticism, nose tackles are severely undervalued. They get taken late in drafts along with often being undrafted. Tonga is one of those players and has seemingly found a home with the Vikings. Under Brian Flores, Tonga is likely to be the nose tackle and will be responsible to handle two gaps. The pass rush upside is something that will help him but how often will he get to use it as a starter? That remains to be seen.

The Real Forno Show

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