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Vikings receiver Jalen Nailor (aka Speedy) on fast track to more playing time

dane mizutani, pioneer press
·6 min read

The coach gave Jalen Nailor simple instructions. As soon as he hit the ball, he was to run as fast as he could.

That’s exactly what Nailor did. He couldn’t have been much older than 5 at the time, yet he rounded the bases with ease for a home run. The ball barely left the infield.

The legend grew when Nailor traded the baseball diamond for the football field. He was playing Pop Warner for the Lancaster Jets, about an hour north of Los Angeles, and was among the smallest kids on the team. That might have been an issue except that nobody could catch him.

“He was the fastest kid out there,” his father Jay Nailor said. “That’s how he got the nickname Speedy.”

That moniker has stuck with the 24-year-old receiver ever since. And for good reason. He has relied on his speed at every stop of his football career so far, using it to dominate in high school with Bishop Gorman, put up big numbers in college with Michigan State, and make a name for himself in the NFL with the Vikings.

“I knew from a young age that I had speed, and I’ve always tried to use it,” Nailor said. “Just playing fast. That’s a big thing for me. That’s something I’m working on each and every day.”

As the Vikings prepare for mandatory minicamp next week at TCO Performance Center, Nailor has every right to be brimming with confidence. There’s no denying that he’s been a standout on the practice field during organized team activities this year. You could argue no player on the current roster has raised his stock more over the past month.

With star receiver Justin Jefferson missing the voluntary workouts, and rookie receiver Jordan Addison sitting out with a minor injury, Nailor has been getting a lot of reps with the starters. He has made the most of it, separating himself, literally and figuratively, and more importantly, building some chemistry with quarterback Kirk Cousins in the process.

“I feel like I’m getting more comfortable in the offense,” Nailor said. “Just knowing where to line up and knowing the play calls.”

That has allowed him to play fast whenever he breaks the huddle. He needs to be able to do that to be effective. His nickname is Speedy, after all.

“I remember when he was little, he actually didn’t crawl, he scooted with his leg off the ground,” Jay Nailor said. “He started walking really early, too, so thinking back on it now, maybe it was a sign.”

After growing up near Los Angeles as a kid — he actually played for the Compton Vikings in the Snoop Youth Football League — Nailor moved with his family to Las Vegas as a teenager. The move gave him a chance to play football and run track at Bishop Gorman, a prep school that used to be known for churning out some of the best sports talent in the country.

As the football coach at Bishop Gorman back then, Kenny Sanchez was privy to the natural ability Nailor brought with him.

“Well, he went by the nickname Speedy, so obviously I figured he was going to be pretty fast,” Sanchez said with a laugh. “He definitely was. You could tell right way. I knew he was going to be a really good football player for us.”

Never the loudest guy in the Bishop Gorman locker room, Nailor chose to lead by example more often than not. He did so with an infectious smile that has become almost as synonymous with him as his speed.

“He was a silent assassin,” Sanchez said. “He was a pretty quiet kid. You almost wouldn’t expect it out of him. Then he got on the field and turned into a totally different beast.”

His dominance at Bishop Gorman, which included 41 receptions for 807 yards and 12 touchdowns his senior year, earned Nailor a number of scholarship offers. He originally committed to Arizona State before a coaching change prompted him to reopen his recruitment. He eventually signed a national letter of intent with Michigan State.

“It was January when we went out to take the official visit,” Jay Nailor said. “We got there and hopped into the car car and I remember it said it was 1 degree. I asked the assistant coach, ‘Is this for real?’ He said, ‘Oh yeah.’ That was our introduction to the Midwest.”

As talented as Nailor was upon his arrival on campus, he struggled with injuries throughout his time at Michigan State. He finished his college career with 86 receptions for 1,454 yards and 12 touchdowns, doing most of his damage in 2020 and 2021, before forgoing his final year of eligibility in favor of the 2022 NFL Draft.

That’s when the Vikings selected Nailor in the sixth round. He spent most of his rookie year last fall biding his time in practice until he got his chance in a game. It finally came in Week 17 with the Vikings getting blown out by the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Day.

Though most fans had tuned out by late in the game, Nailor flashed his potential in an instant, using his speed to get loose for a 47-yard touchdown reception. He followed up that splash play with a solid performance in Week 18 with the Vikings resting most of their starters against the Chicago Bears.

“You look at his career as a whole and every year he gets better,” Sanchez said. “I think he’s going to be a guy that peaks in the NFL because of that.”

That continued growth from Nailor has been evident from Year 1 to Year 2. Asked about his development following organized team activities, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said the Vikings recently put together install tapes to teach some of the basics of the offense. He noted that Nailor was a star in many of those clips.

“He just shows up a lot as far as doing the right thing, being where he’s supposed to be, and having the athletic ability to make the play,” Phillips said. “I’m really pleased with where he’s at.”

That’s a testament to the hard work Nailor put in throughout his rookie year. He dove headfirst into the playbook and tried to pick the brain of anyone he could.

“The terminology and everything is so much different and so much more complex,” Nailor said. “Just learning as much as I could was the biggest thing for me. I’m glad I’m in a position now where I know all the stuff I worked to learn last year. I feel like I’m in a good spot.”

In that moment, Nailor flashed his infectious smile, then dapped up a reporter and thanked him for his time.

“Since a young age, he’s had the nickname Speedy, so he’s always had recognition of people knowing who he was,” Jay Nailor said. “I’m beyond proud that he’s stayed humble though it all. That’s who he is. He’s a great, frickin’ son, and I couldn’t ask for anyone better.”

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