Jordan Hicks, the mentor, Brian Asamoah, the mentee, leading Vikings linebackers
Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah flew under the radar for most of Vikings training camp.
That’s because undrafted rookie Ivan Pace Jr. was seemingly pushing for playing time at linebacker.
When the Vikings host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Sunday’s season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium, however, Hicks and Asamoah will be the starters with Pace likely mixing in throughout the game.
“We will try to as best we can get as many guys in as possible,” defensive coordinator Brian Flores said. “We feel good about those three guys.”
The mentor-mentee relationship between Hicks and Asamoah should help both players once they get on the field. It started last season when they were placed next to each other in the locker room of TCO Performance Center. It has continued this season with Hicks and Asamoah talking on a daily basis.
“He’s grown up a lot,” Hicks said. “It’s fun to watch young players really mature from Year 1 to Year 2.”
Why has Hicks taken Asamoah under his wing?
“He’s somebody that I see myself in as far as being a young, eager, athletic linebacker that wants to be great,” Hicks said. “To watch him continue to progress has been a lot of fun for me.”
As a rookie last season, Asamoah spent most of his time on special teams, with veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks playing alongside Hicks on defense. Nonetheless, Hicks continued to offer advice to Asamoah at every turn, perhaps knowing that he would be a starter in the future.
Those conversations helped Asamoah take steps in the right direction last season, which, in turn, helped him hit the ground running this season.
“He’s a really, really smart football player,” Asamoah said. “There are some things he does on the field that I’m like, ‘Wow.’ He’s had a huge impact on me. I’ve had a great relationship with him, and I’ll continue to have a great relationship with him.”
That chemistry has showed up a number of times in practice this summer. As a way to develop their communication skills with Flores, both Hicks and Asamoah have a mic in their helmet in practices, even though only one player gets to wear that type of helmet in games.
“There have been plays where Jordan will be downfield after the whistle and I’m next to the ball,” Asamoah said. “Since we both have a mic in our helmet, I’ll give the call, and then when he comes back, we’ll be ready to go.”
How has Pace fit into that equation?
“He’s done a lot of good things,” Flores said. “As a rookie, first game is special for him, and all of our rookies. To put the jersey on is a lifelong dream. Hopefully we can calm his nerves and he can go out and perform the way he’s performed through training camp and the preseason.”
As for Hicks and Asamoah, as excited as they are for Pace, they are even more excited to show everybody what the new defense can do.
“I can’t wait,” Hicks said. “We’re both ready to get out there on Sunday. It’s been building. Now we’re ready to put it on tape.”
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