Vikings tackle Christian Darrisaw's talent is there; the recognition is coming

Before the Vikings' next opponent, the San Francisco 49ers, fell to a slightly blemished 5-1 record after Sunday's 19-17 loss at Cleveland, pregame trash talk escalated into a shoving match.

In one viral video, 49ers receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel were surrounded by nearly 10 Browns players. Both were hand fighting when all 320 pounds of San Francisco left tackle Trent Williams entered the frame. With a shove from behind, Williams blindsided Browns receiver Elijah Moore, who had approached Samuel.

No Browns came to Moore's defense. End of conflict.

"Trent came over and everybody kind of settled down," Vikings left tackle Christian Darrisaw said. "Everybody kind of backed off — back to business. It's kind of like that respect level for him across the league. Everybody knows when you see Trent, he ain't playing no games."

Darrisaw, the third-year left tackle, is building a respected reputation of his own entering his 30th NFL start on Monday night against the 49ers and edge rusher Nick Bosa.

Williams, a 10-time Pro Bowl player, has lent a helping hand as a mentor, of sorts, exchanging tips with Darrisaw via text and FaceTime since connecting through the Vikings left tackle's agency a few years ago.

As Darrisaw continues to string together games like Sunday's 19-13 victory at Chicago, where he did not allow a quarterback pressure and blocked three Bears in a single run play, the comparisons to Williams come to life.

Teammates are consistently awed by how Darrisaw moves his 6-5, 315-pound frame with relative ease. Opponents acknowledge his play after games. Pro Football Focus rates Darrisaw as the No. 1 tackle through six weeks.

"He's just got to continue to do it over time and eventually everybody will notice," offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said. "And more importantly than anything, his peers notice."

If Darrisaw continues this trajectory, he should earn more than the three All-Pro votes (no first-place votes) he garnered last season, ranking fifth among offensive tackles.

"I don't think there's many guys playing better than him right now," right tackle Brian O'Neill said. "Obviously a big test this week for both of us to face an elite front seven, so let's talk on Tuesday."

"We have a saying: Those who know, know," O'Neill added. "And those who know [do] know what kind of player he is."

Darrisaw will be in the spotlight Monday night against Bosa, the 49ers' star edge rusher who is tied for seventh among all defenders in quarterback pressures, according to PFF. Darrisaw and Bosa will be perhaps the most talented matchup in the game.

The Bears last weekend did not offer such a challenge to Darrisaw, who left teammates wondering how he was given such nimble feet and power during a third-quarter play. Darrisaw pulled around the left edge, discarded cornerback Kyler Gordon like a used napkin and then tossed linebacker T.J. Edwards into safety Elijah Hicks. The 8-yard run was called back because of a holding penalty on tight end T.J. Hockenson.

"He knocked down three guys and it's like yeah, OK, sure, whatever," guard Blake Brandel said. "It was just, like, an unreal play. It seems like there's some of those plays every single game."

Darrisaw has allowed only one sack this season, according to PFF, as he has played his way into being a franchise cornerstone at 24 years old. Quarterback Kirk Cousins pointed to the responsibility and respect Darrisaw commands, even if he goes unnoticed sometimes because he's doing his job without issue.

"Even in walkthrough, Garrett [Bradbury] is pretty talkative, Brian's always going to let his opinions be known — all in positive ways," Cousins said. "And maybe I just sense the guards more because they're right in front of me, but CD is the one that sometimes you forget he's there because he's quiet, goes about his business. And if he does talk, you better listen because he's got something to say."

Darrisaw said he doesn't care about where he falls in public opinion or media rankings, because he knows he's respected in NFL circles.

"I don't try to pay attention to the outside noise," Darrisaw said, "but I know if I continue to keep working, hopefully at the end of the day I will be among the best in the league."

But players didn't put Darrisaw in this year's NFL Top 100 released this summer. That appeared to be an anti-offensive line bias. Players overlooked or couldn't agree on blockers as a whole; only eight offensive linemen, including five tackles, were chosen compared to 16 receivers or nine interior defensive tackles.

"I really feel like there's not of ton of recognition around the league," Darrisaw said. "The most hardworking position in football. Without us, the things that happen wouldn't get done in a way. But we don't need recognition to do our jobs. We just go out there and do it."