Kene Nwangwu Finally Looks Like a Running Back…

The Minnesota Vikings used a fourth round pick on Kene Nwangwu during the 2021 NFL Draft. To this point he has been more of a special teams player. Kevin O’Connell has seen the former Iowa State Cyclone prove he can be a running back this preseason.

Is Kene Nwangwu the Minnesota Vikings third running back?

Aaron Jones gives the Minnesota Vikings their best starting running back since peak Dalvin Cook. That is a need after how poorly the group fared with Alexander Mattison as the starter last year.

Ty Chandler will rotate in plenty as well. Kene Nwangwu showing out as a legitimate running back helps the position too. The Star Tribune’s Mark Craig seems to believe more work should be coming.

Kene Nwangwu needs to carry the ball more

A week after his 48-yard touchdown burst, Kene Nwangwu helped the Vikings run for 84 yards in the first half. He ran the ball seven times for 45 yards, a 6.4 average, including a 13-yarder in which he showed some power and balance, bouncing off two defenders. He has only 27 regular-season carries in his career so far.

Mark Craig – Star Tribune

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Once again looking spry against the Cleveland Browns, Nwangwu paced Vikings running backs in the box score. Both Jones and Chandler will carry that load during the regular season, but Nwangwu provides a different look altogether. Myles Gaskin may have been presumed as the third running back, but Nwangwu has definitely staked his claim.

Can Minnesota Vikings find more touches for Kene Nwangwu?

Thus far in his career Kene Nwangwu has been almost exclusively a special teams player. Last season Kevin O’Connell dialed up just five rushing attempts, and that was down from the nine he has in 2022.

He has never had more than 13 carries in a single season. Even as a third running back, that seems like a safe bar to clear. Purple Insider’s Matthew Coller seems to think an expanded role is coming as well.

“He has taken a ton of reps this preseason as the first or second team running back…I don’t see him as someone they really want to use a ton, but also the fact that they haven’t gone out and gotten anybody else, and they’ve stuck with DeWayne McBride, says to me that they at least sort of like what they have seen from Kene Nwangwu. He has looked much more like a running back than he has in preseason before.”

Matthew Coller on Kene Nwangwu this preseason

The running game has never been something that O’Connell has leaned heavily on. That could change some this season with Jones in the backfield and Darnold under center. The more often that backs are touching the ball, the more likely others will need to filter in.

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It doesn’t seem logical that Nwangwu will breakout for the Minnesota Vikings, but carving a niche on offense seems plausible.