The ball simply looks different when it leaves the right foot of rookie kicker Will Reichard. That might explain why the Vikings selected him in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Nonetheless, after kicking for Alabama and scoring more points than anybody in the history of college football, Reichard arrived a TCO Performance Center in the spring still needing to prove himself. That’s because the Vikings also had veteran kicker John Parker Romo on the roster.

Not anymore. Though the outcome was never in doubt, Reichard officially won the kicking competition this week when the Vikings cut Romo to fill holes elsewhere on the roster. Now the biggest thing is making sure Reichard doesn’t get complacent.

Not that special teams coordinator Matt Daniels seems to worried about that.

“When he first came in here, he understood what he was up against and that the job wasn’t just going to be given to him because he was a draft pick,” Daniels said. “He truly wanted to earn the respect of his teammates and win the job.”

It’s safe to say Reichard has done that so far. He turned some heads by going 5 for 5 on field goal attempts during a practice early in training camp, and while he missed a pair of long field goal attempts this week, Reichard already seems to have earned the trust of everybody around him.

“He’s done an unbelievable job since he’s gotten here,” Daniels said. “You all got a good look of what he’s capable of doing.”

As impressive as Reichard’s physical traits have been whenever he’s been asked to kick, he’s also showcased a mental fortitude needed to succeed at the position. That’s a good sign as he steps into a franchise that has a history of chewing up kickers and spitting them out.

“He’s a guy that really maintains a good neutral mindset,” Daniels said. “You truly never know when he’s in a good mood or when he’s in a bad mood.”

As for expectations heading into this season, Daniels has already broached the subject, and Reichard has responded by pushing the envelope.

“He’s telling me, like, ‘That’s not good enough,’” Daniels said. “I really appreciate the edginess that he has and the mindset that he has. That’s the reason that we drafted him. Because of that mindset.”

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