When the Minnesota Vikings used a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on offensive lineman Brian O’Neill, the team wanted to make him their right tackle of the future. However, his lack of size made a year of bulking up a good idea if they wanted to give him the best chance to succeed.
When starting right tackle Rashod Hill went down with an injury, O’Neill stepped in and played at a high level. With an offseason to continue working on bulking up, practicing his technique, and some experience under his belt, he has to be considered the frontrunner to be the starting right tackle for the 2019 season.