Over the first two days of the draft, Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman addressed some of the most urgent needs of the team without needing to give up additional draft capital to move up for any given player. Having lost the top three cornerbacks from 2019, two rookie corners (Jeff Gladney from TCU, and Cameron Dantzler from Mississippi State) were drafted to potentially fill those roles. Having traded one of the top wide receivers to Buffalo, the team picked up Justin Jefferson from LSU who will be given every opportunity to compete for a starting role. The offensive line was shored up with the second round pick Ezra Cleveland from Boise State, which should allow some improvements to be made over the 2019 line. The Daily Norseman‘s Ted Glover did a draft-day edition of his Stock Market Report for days one and two.

At the end of the third round on Friday, Spielman took a great offer from the New Orleans Saints, swapping the Vikings’ 105th pick for the Saints’ 130th, 169th, 203rd, and 244th picks. This left the Vikings with a final day sheaf of thirteen draft picks to use in the last four rounds of the draft (3 in the 4th round, 3 in the 5th round, 3 in the 6th round, and 4 in the 7th round). “Trader Rick” was expected to spend the whole day engaged in his all-time favourite activity … swapping draft picks.

• Round 4 (117th overall) — received from San Francisco — South Carolina DE D.J. Wonnum. In Rick Spielman’s mini-video after the pick, he said “He’s a long, athletic defensive end. He ran 4.6 at the combine … I know the success we have had and Coach Andre Patterson has had with these long athletic defensive ends and I know our coaches can’t wait to get their hands on him.” Courtney Cronin said “Wonnum has long been a target of Minnesota’s throughout this draft process. At 6-foot-5, 258 pounds, Wonnum looks like a physical carbon copy of Danielle Hunter when he was coming out of LSU five years ago. […] With Ifeadi Odenigbo primed to take on some of Griffen’s duties, the Vikings needed to address depth at defensive end and may be able to use Wonnum as a rotational edge rusher as a rookie. The Georgia native had 30 starts for the Gamecoks with 137 tackles, 29.5 tackles for loss and 14.0 sacks”. Daniel House said “He has impressive testing metrics, including high percentiles in the vertical jump, 40-yard dash and broad jump”. Arif Hasan, on the other hand thinks Wonnum was overdrafted: “I don’t really see much upside. Reasonably athletic run defender who adds competition. High motor but needs technical development. 180th on the consensus board, so a reach by that valuation”



• Round 4 (130th overall) — received from New Orleans — Baylor DT James Lynch. Rick Spielman said “Had a great interview with us at the combine, and just another great addition, not only from a football standpoint but from a high-character, high-quality standpoint as well.” Courtney Cronin said “Minnesota drafted Baylor’s all-time career leader in sacks (22.0) when they took Lynch. Lynch is a versatile, powerful pass rusher who could give the Vikings a boost with their interior pass rush from the three-technique spot after he notched 13.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss last season. A unanimous All-American, effort is the first thing that jumps out to evaluators when looking at his college film. His sack numbers are one thing, but the amount of pressure Lynch generates on quarterbacks makes him a constant disruption in the backfield.” Chris Tomasson quotes Dane Brugler: “Lynch doesn’t have ideal length, which might limit his ideal scheme fit, but he competes with balance and power to hold up inside with the dependable football character that will endear himself to coaches.”



• Round 4 (132nd overall) — Oregon LB Troy Dye. Chris Tomasson quotes Dane Brugler’s analysis: “Dye looks like a modern-day linebacker with his length and athleticism, but he plays more like a safety with questions about his functional strength and scheme fit in the NFL projecting as an immediate backup and special teamer”. Courtney Cronin said “The 6-foot-3, 231-pound Dye had been a difference maker at Oregon since his freshman year and led the Ducks in tackles for four straight seasons. He has good pedigree, too, as his brothers all played college football as did his dad. His size could be a concern, although his build is similar to Eric Kendricks and Cameron Smith.” Geoff Schwartz: “Troy Dye will be a fantastic pro. He’s just a playmaker on defense. He will be awesome on special teams. He played a game this season with a cast on his hand. The cast broke and he kept playing.”



• Round 5 (155th overall) — received from Buffalo for Stefon Diggs — Traded to Chicago for a 2021 fourth-round pick.

With the two compensatory picks they'll likely get next year, the #Vikings already have 11 picks for 2021.

1st
2nd
3rd x2 (1 comp, Waynes)
4th x 3 (Bills, Bears)
5th
6th x 2 (1 comp, Alexander)
7th

— Daily Norseman, Skolcially Distancing Since '06 (@DailyNorseman) April 25, 2020

• Round 5 (169th overall) — received from New Orleans — Temple CB Harrison Hand. Daniel House: “Hand posted a 41-inch vertical at the NFL Scouting Combine. He also ranked in the 96th percentile of the broad jump, per MockDraftable. Zimmer is loading up on defensive back talent in this draft. Gladney, Dantzler and Hand.” Courtney Cronin: “Hand’s physicality makes him a good tackler, and he prides himself on using his length to cover. It’s unclear how the Vikings’ see him fitting given several scouting reports project him best as a Cover 3 fit who can provide support against the run and play in the box. He might become a cornerback used in specific schemes or could transition to safety in the NFL.”



• Round 5 (176th overall) — received from San Francisco — Miami WR K.J. Osborn. Courtney Cronin: “At the University of Buffalo, Obsorn played primarily in the slot. After he transferred to Miami following the 2018 season, he started all 13 games as a senior where he found a home on the outside. Osborn’s stats don’t jump off the page, though he led the Hurricanes in receiving (50 catches, 547 yards, 5 TDs), but his contributions as a return specialist made him a well-rounded player. In fact, the Vikings are intrigued by his abilities as a punt returner (15.9 yards per return at Miami) and could consider him for that role as Mike Hughes’ responsibilities in the secondary are expected to increase this season.” Chris Tomasson: “Osborn had 50 catches for 547 yards for Miami. Draft analyst Dane Brugler: ‘Doesn’t explode out of his breaks to separate upon command, but he is instinctive and dependable with the ‘make-it’ attitude that will help him compete for a reserve/special teams role.'”



• Round 6 (201st overall) — received from New Orleans — Traded to Baltimore for pick 225 in the seventh round and a 2021 fifth round pick.
• Round 6 (205th overall) — Oregon State OL Blake Brandel. Christopher Gates: “Brandel had a very good college career with the Beavers, starting 48 consecutive games for them over the course of his career. With the Vikings needing depth on the offensive line, he’s going to have an opportunity to compete for a spot as the swing tackle on the roster. He may need some time to develop, but the Vikings obviously see something in him that they like.” Chris Tomasson: “Draft analyst Dane Brugler on new #Vikings tackle Blake Brandel: ‘Brandel has athletic limitations, but he moves with composed feet and patient hands to strike-and-anchor, projecting as a possible NFL swing backup.'”



• Round 6 (207th overall) — received from Buffalo for Stefon Diggs — Michigan S Josh Metellus. Chad Graff says “The Vikings drafted S Josh Metellus from Michigan with the No. 205 overall pick (sixth round). They had only two safeties on the roster. @dpbrugler is a big fan. He wrote: Metellus may not win a job in camp, ‘but if he gets into an NFL game, he might not give the job back.'” At SKOR North, Matthew Coller said “At the Senior Bowl [Metellus] took some snaps as a cornerback to demonstrate that he could handle one-on-one matchups with wide receivers. According to PFF, he allowed only 50% of his targets to be caught and gave up a QB rating against of 68.1 while playing over 600 snaps three years in a row. PFF also noted his success with the Wolverines as a blitzer. The Vikings’ safety room is more or less empty with the exit of Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse in free agency. Now they have a player to develop with the possibility of contributing quickly in a big nickel situation if he proves trustworthy right away.”



• Round 7 (225th overall) — received from Baltimore — Michigan State DE Kenny Willekes. Chris Tomasson said “Draft analyst Dane Brugler had Kenny Willekes as a potential fifth rounder so that could be good value for #Vikings.” and “Willekes lacks the anchor and length to be a consistent edge-setter vs NFL offensive tackles but his resilient mentality and competitive motor translate to production, which should land him in a defensive line rotation”. Chad Graff: “A line from @dpbrugler’s scouting report on Vikings seventh-round pick Kenny Willekes: ‘Plays pissed off and competes like the other team peed in his Cheerios.'” I’ve got to admit, this is pretty impressive. Matthew Coller said “Willekes was a terrific run defender in college, grading over 80 in every year by PFF’s system and developed as a pass rusher, going from zero to nine sacks in his final year at Michigan State and adding 39 pressures. This is one of the Vikings’ best value selections. By PFF he was graded as a third-round pick but his lack of NFL-caliber athleticism likely hurt his grade by teams. He only ran a 4.87 40-yard dash at the Combine and is undersized at 6-foot-3 but Willekes already overcame being a walk-on at Michigan State and has an opportunity to do so again in Minnesota.”



• Round 7 (244th overall) — received from New Orleans — Iowa QB Nate Stanley. Courtney Cronin said, “Here’s where the Vikings strategy of not having to bid for college free agents might be coming into play. Stanley was projected as late draft pick/priority FA. Minnesota now has him on a rookie deal and doesn’t have to bid with other teams like they did w Jake Browning last yr”. Vikings Corner said “He is a big-armed QB with experience in a zone running/bootleg heavy offense. Last year, Stanley completed 59% of his passes for 2,951 yards. He tossed 16 touchdowns and seven interceptions.”



• Round 7 (249th overall) — compensatory pick for losing Trevor Siemian in free agency — Mississippi State S Brian Cole II. Jack Day said “Cole is another safety that isn’t the greatest when it comes to attacking the ball when it’s in the air, which is weird considering he is a former wide receiver. He is another physical prospect that needs some work in pass coverage, but is more than willing to deliver the big hits.
  He is able to bump down and cover running backs and tight ends in the slot and he has the size to match up well with bigger tight ends. Cole stands at 6-2, 213 pounds and runs a 4.52 40-yard dash. In his 2019 season, Cole was a captain at Mississippi State. He registered 65 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception in his final collegiate season.”



• Round 7 (253rd overall) — compensatory pick for losing Tom Compton in free agency — Washburn G Kyle Hinton. Chris Tomasson said “Draft analyst Dane Brugler on Kyle Hinton: ‘Faces a position switch and a sizeable jump in competition at the next level, but his athletic traits and intelligence are exciting foundation traits for a team willing to be patient, projecting as a low risk, high reward guard/center.'” Courtney Cronin said “Hinton played left tackle in college at 6-foot-2, 295 pounds. His size is why he’ll need to move inside to guard or center if he has any shot of making an NFL roster. But that’s not the point. After not being able to come to an agreement with Washington in a trade for Trent Williams, the only upgrade the Vikings made on the O-line in 2020 was drafting Boise State’s Ezra Cleveland in the second round. That’s not enough to fix an entire unit, so the Vikings will now have to address how they want to move forward, and who they’ll want to move around and try out at different positions, as they continue through an unprecedented offseason.”

And there we have it, at fifteen picks it’s the largest draft class for any NFL team in the seven-round draft era.

The Minnesota Vikings entered the second day of the NFL’s first online draft holding twelve draft picks in total, with identified needs at offensive guard, offensive tackle, defensive end, defensive tackle, cornerback, wide receiver, and (potentially) safety. With such a long shopping list, it was widely expected that the team would be eager to move up to improve on the three day two picks:

• Round 2 (58th overall) — OT Ezra Cleveland, Boise State. The Vikings don’t absolutely need to replace Riley Rieff at left tackle, but if Cleveland shows he’s up to the job, it gives the team a lot of flexibility on the left side of the offensive line. There was reportedly some discussion last season to shifting Rieff inside to take the left guard position, replacing Pat Elflein, and that now appears to be a stronger option for the 2020 season. Alternatively, Cleveland could be given a season at guard (although he doesn’t have the ideal body for working on the interior OL) with an eye to replacing Rieff in 2021.



• Round 3 (89th overall) — CB Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State. The Vikings needed at least one more cornerback and Dantzler was one of the higher-ranked day two corners on a lot of big boards. His draft stock took a hit with a slower-than-expected sprint time at the NFL combine.



By this point, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was starting to show the fatigue:

tfw you're done reading picks but you got like 15 to go before you can go to bed. pic.twitter.com/6hTHbOMX0d

— Ted Social Distancing Glover (@purplebuckeye) April 25, 2020

• Round 3 (105th overall — compensatory pick for losing Sheldon Richardson in 2019) — traded to New Orleans for the 130th (4th round), 169th (5th round), 203rd (6th round), and 244th picks (7th round).

The 2020 NFL draft is the first time that a draft has been conducted under lockdown, so the “big event” the NFL has hyped-up for the last few decades is now a virtual event hosted at ESPN’s studio in Connecticut. Each team has their own isolated General Manager, electronically in contact with key members of their coaching and scouting staffs, effectively conducting a mock draft for real from their respective basements. The possibilities for disruptions, errors, and unintentional gaffes are at an all-time high. It might even have been worth everyone’s time to follow on TV or online, just for that comic potential.

Coming into the first round of the draft, the Minnesota Vikings had their own pick at 25 and Buffalo’s pick at 22 obtained as part of the Stefon Diggs trade. Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman, known affectionately as “Trader Rick” for his long-standing habit of swapping draft picks during the draft, was expected to be his usual huckster self and few expected the Vikings to end up with both of their first round picks by the end of the day.

After the 2019 season, the Vikings had parted ways with some key players and had identified other needs on both sides of the ball that could be addressed in the draft. The priority of those needs can be debated, so this is not in canonical order by anyone’s standards:

• Cornerback — Starting corners Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes along with nickel Mackenzie Alexander will all be wearing different uniforms for the 2020 season, leaving the Vikings very short-staffed at this position. At least one of the first five picks should be a corner. Some players that might be available in the first round include Trevon Diggs (who I think we can be pretty sure won’t be the Vikings’ pick, for reasons), Jaylon Johnson, Noah Igbinoghene, Kristian Fulton, and Jeff Gladney.
• Wide Receiver — The surprising trade with Buffalo that netted the Vikings extra picks in the draft in exchange for the services of Stefon Diggs means that Minnesota has a vacancy opposite Adam Thielen. This is widely declared to be potentially the best draft for wide receivers in many years, so this is a need that should be relatively easy to address. Potentially available players include CeeDee Lamb, Henry Ruggs III, Justin Jefferson, Denzel Mimms, Tee Higgins, and Jalen Reagor.
• Guard — The Vikings parted company this offseason with right guard Josh Kline which was unexpected as he had been a solid performer for the team in 2019. Pat Elflein was the most easily identified weak spot on the offensive line and at the very least needs to be challenged for his starting spot (many fans would say he should be cut, not just “challenged”). The team may consider Dru Samia ready to step in for Kline, but it’s not clear if Oli Udoh, Brett Jones, or Dakota Dozier can be seen as starting-level replacements. This isn’t seen as a strong draft for interior offensive linemen, so guards Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis, and Jonah Jackson are expected to still be available well into the second round. Centres Cesar Ruiz, Lloyd Cushenberry, Matt Hennessy, and Tyler Biadasz may also be still on the board on day two.
• Defensive End — Everson Griffin exercised his option to void the remaining years of his contract and backup Stephen Weatherly left in free agency, which means the team may be looking to draft an edge rusher to shore up the defensive line. Ifeadi Odenigbo played very well in relief last season and could be ready to step into the starting role, but as with cornerbacks, you can never have too many talented pass rushers. K’Lavon Chaisson, Zack Baun, Yetur Gross-Matos, Terrell Lewis, and Julian Okwara are potential picks in the range the Vikings will be picking.
• Tackle — Both Minnesota’s offensive tackles are under contract for this year, but left tackle Riley Rieff might be looking over his shoulder if the team decides to trade for Washington’s Trent Williams or draft one of the top college tackles to replace him. Most mock drafts show the top four or five tackles going off the board early in the first round, but one or two may drop into the mid-twenties: Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs, Josh Jones, or Austin Jackson might be there by 22.
• Defensive Tackle — The team cut Linval Joseph at nose tackle for salary cap reasons, and brought in Michael Pierce to replace him. Shamar Stephen is still available at the 3-tech, but the team may be considering trying to upgrade their interior pass rush capabilities with a rookie DT. A.J. Epenesa, Ross Blacklock, Justin Madabuike, Marlon Davidson, and Neville Gallimore might be available past the first twenty picks.
• Safety — This may not be a dire need, but with Anthony Harris potentially playing on the franchise tag (if the team doesn’t trade him during the draft), and having lost backups Andrew Sendejo and Jayron Kearse to free agency, some long-term concerns exist in the backfield. Expected to still be available when the Vikings are on the clock: Xavier McKinney, Grant Delpit, hometown favourite Antoine Winfield Jr., Ashtyn Davis, and Jeremy Chinn.

All of the above was written before the draft began … I probably should have posted that on Thursday.

With the Vikings on the clock for the 22nd pick (originally Buffalo’s traded as part of the Stefon Diggs deal), Minnesota selected LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson.

Jefferson had an absolutely monstrous season for the Tigers in their National Championship season. He caught 111 passes on the year, which was the most in the country, accounting for 1,540 yards (third in the country) and 18 touchdowns (second in the country). I’m not sure how that only managed to get him on the All-SEC Second Team, but whatever. He had a huge performance in the Peach Bowl as well, catching 14 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns. After that performance, it’s no surprise he decided to skip his senior season in Baton Rouge and enter the NFL Draft.

Jordan Reid of The Draft Network has Jefferson as his #4 wide receiver and the #18 player overall on the Big Board in his Draft Guide. Here is his evaluation of Jefferson.

A former two-star recruit, but Justin Jefferson always had a high-star work ethic. Being that he was legacy and had brothers who suited up successfully for the Tigers, playing in Baton Rouge had a deeper meaning behind it. Since stepping on campus, many mentioned how hungry he was to succeed from the beginning. His quickness and smarts help him overcome what he lacks from a stature standpoint. After a successful year, he went on to top those totals and become the top slot option for a record setting offense. Scouts are enamored with Jefferson because of his football acumen, love for the game, and value that he brings. Because of questions about his in-game play strength, he may be limited to a slot only role where he won’t be challenged as frequently. Jefferson projects as first-round selection that will be an option to play early on as a rookie because of how mature his game is, plus his consistency as a catcher will enable him to take on a heavy workload in his first year and beyond.

Jefferson should become the immediate starter for the Vikings across from Thielen, and should be able to make a significant contribution to the Vikings’ offense immediately.

The Vikings were on the clock again with the 25th pick, but traded it to San Francisco, moving back to the 31st pick and getting the 49ers’ 117th in the 4th round and 176th in the fifth round.

With the 31st pick, the Vikings selected TCU cornerback Jeff Gladney.

Gladney may not have racked up a lot of interceptions during his time in Fort Worth, only picking off one pass. However, he’s certainly been around the football, having collected 15 pass breakups in each of the past two seasons while starting all 27 games for the Horned Frogs. After this year’s Scouting Combine, he had surgery to repair a meniscus injury that he played through as a senior, but he should be ready to go by the time Training Camp comes around.

Jordan Reid of The Draft Network has Gladney as his #3 cornerback and #24 overall on his Big Board in his Draft Guide. Here is his evaluation of Gladney.

Starting since he stepped foot on campus, Gladney is one of the most competitive cornerback prospects that you will see in this class. Not just in coverage, but also as a run defender. He’s scrappy, tough, and physical. Projecting best in a press man scheme, Gladney has the physical attributes and vertical speed necessary to quickly become a starter. Possessing high-end athleticism and recovery skills, Gladney could prove to be one of the better defensive backs of this entire crop. There’s not much to dislike about his game overall and he has the talent to become a top-40 pick.

A quick recap of the first two days of the draft: in the first round, the Vikings addressed the single biggest need by drafting North Carolina State centre Garrett Bradbury with the eighteenth pick. In the second round, the team selected Alabama tight end Irv Smith, Jr. The third round was where things went quickly into horse-trading nirvana for Vikings general manager “Trader Rick” Spielman, with four consecutive trades executed to amass nine draft picks for the remaining rounds. At the end of that flurry of trades, the team selected Boise State running back Alexander Mattison.

The Vikings held the following picks going into the final day of the draft on Saturday:

• Fourth-round (18th/120th overall)
• Fifth-round (21st/159th overall, from Seattle)
• Sixth-round (17th/190th overall)
• Sixth-round (18th/191st overall, from Baltimore)
• Sixth-round (20th/193rd overall, from Baltimore)
• Sixth-round (31st/204th overall, from Detroit)
• Seventh-round (3rd/217th overall, from New York Jets)
• Seventh-round (33rd/247th overall, compensatory for “loss” of Tramaine Brock)
• Seventh-round (36th/250th overall, compensatory for loss of Shamar Stephen)

Given that the team has only a microscopic budget for rookie salaries (pending any contract re-negotiations or trades of veterans), it seems unlikely that the Vikings will actually select nine players with those picks, but it does give Spielman lots of ammunition for packaging multiple picks in order to move up in the draft to get particular players.

(more…)

After addressing the most urgent need in the first round, drafting North Carolina State centre Garrett Bradbury with the eighteenth pick, the Minnesota Vikings entered day two of the 2019 draft with the following seven picks in hand:

• Second-round pick (18th/50th overall)
• Third-round pick (17th/81st overall)
• Fourth-round pick (18th/120th overall)
• Sixth-round pick (17th/190th overall)
• Sixth-round pick (36th/209th overall, compensatory for the loss of Teddy Bridgewater)
• Seventh-round pick (33rd/247th overall, compensatory for the “loss” of Tramaine Brock)
• Seventh-round pick (36th/250th overall, compensatory for the loss of Shamar Stephen, but who ironically rejoined the team this off-season)

Again, just to unsettle long-time Spielman watchers, the Vikings actually used their second round pick instead of trading down for more picks later in the draft. At the number 50 slot, they selected Alabama tight end Irv Smith, Jr., and suddenly Kyle Rudolph’s name is being discussed freely as potential trade-bait.

247 Sports said this about Smith:

Smith may never be an elite tight end at the next level, but he is a safe bet to be a consistent and reliable one. He is athletic enough to be a good chess piece in an offense and is rock solid as both a blocker and a pass catcher. He does not have a ton of playing experience, but remember that he is coming from a pro prospect factory at Alabama. His ceiling is not quite as high as the T.J. Hockenson or Noah Fant type players of this draft, but there is next to little risk in grabbing him to add to a football team. It was a bit of a shock when he was still on the board after the first five to ten picks of the second round and easily could have gone much higher, but the Vikings now have their No. 2 athletic tight end to Kyle Rudolph and probable successor to him at the position.

Matthew Coller says the Vikings landed their “mismatch tight end” with this pick:

The Minnesota Vikings have been taking swings at tight ends for years but haven’t invested a high draft pick until Friday night when they grabbed Alabama’s Irv Smith with the 50th overall pick.

While the Vikings have sent Kyle Rudolph to the Pro Bowl twice, they have not had tight end that could challenge opponents down field since Steve Jordan. With the Smith selection, they hope to have found a unique weapon.

“We believe Irv is a perfect fit for our new scheme offensively, what they want to do in terms of a mismatch guy, he’s an F tight end who we can move around,” director of college scouting Jamaal Stephenson said. “We can line him up wide, we can line him up tight, we can use him in the backfield, so he has a lot of versatility.”

With the Crimson Tide last season he caught 44 passes on just 57 targets (16.1 yards per catch) for 707 yards and scored eight touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, he rated No. 1 in yards per route run and caught the fifth most passes that traveled over 20 yards in the air of any tight end in the draft class.

Smith’s athletic traits match up with his big play statistics. At the NFL Combine he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash.

However, the draft war room staff could only keep Rick Spielman from trading for so long — maybe he chewed through the restraints, I dunno — the Detroit Lions somehow got through to Spielman to acquire the Vikings’ third round pick at #81 in exchange for the 88th and 204th picks. Then, proving that they couldn’t get him strapped down again in time, he executed another trade with the Seattle Seahawks, swapping that 88th pick for the 92nd pick and the 159th pick. And then a third trade with the New York Jets to move back to the 93rd pick and also add the 217th pick. AND THEN yet another trade to swap the 93rd pick to Baltimore for the 102nd, 191st, and 193rd picks.

After all that frenzied trading, the Vikings finally did make a third-round pick — the last of day two — Boise State running back Alexander Mattison.

As we get deeper into the draft, the readily available information on players will naturally get more brief. Here’s the initial post from Zone Coverage on Mattison:

Mattison, at 5-foot-11, 221 pounds, rushed for 1,000 yards each of the last two seasons, though his career average was just 4.9 yards per carry — a nice average in the pro game but less impressive in college.

He made 55 catches over the past two years and was used sparingly last season as a kick returner. He didn’t drop a pass in 2018, per Pro Football Focus.

The former Broncos ball carrier ran the fourth-slowest 40-yard dash time at the combine, 4.67 seconds. He tied for the sixth-best 20-yard shuttle, however, and was fourth in the broad jump at his position.

With all the flurry of trades, after entering the day with seven, they’ll have nine draft picks on day three (but I really don’t expect them to select nine players … some of this vast hoard will be swapped for other picks … probably):

• Fourth-round pick (18th/120th overall)
• Fifth-round pick (21st/159th overall, from Seattle)
• Sixth-round pick (17th/190th overall)
• Sixth-round pick (18th/191st overall, from Baltimore)
• Sixth-round pick (20th/193rd overall, from Baltimore)
• Sixth-round pick (31st/204th overall, from Detroit)
• Seventh-round pick (3rd/217th overall, from New York Jets)
• Seventh-round pick (33rd/247th overall, compensatory for “loss” of Tramaine Brock)
• Seventh-round pick (36th/250th overall, compensatory for loss of Shamar Stephen)

Almost everyone assumed, based on the last several years’ most-noted weakness being the offensive line, that the Vikings would take the best centre, guard or tackle available and call it a night. Some contrarians were calling out for one of the two top tight ends to be taken to eventually move into Kyle Rudolph’s role for 2020 and onwards. There were even a few brave souls calling for yet another cornerback to be the Vikings’ first pick … and not all of them were sock puppets for head coach Mike Zimmer.

Given his history since general manager Rick Spielman took the job, a certain amount of horsetrading is to be expected … he’s called “Trader Rick” for good reason. One possibility was that the Vikings would try to trade back from the 18th pick to accumulate more picks in later rounds. At the start of the draft, the Vikings had five of their own draft picks and three late compensatory picks available, and Spielman is known to prefer having as many as ten picks to work with.

After a surprising run in the earlier picks of the first round, where most of the highly touted offensive linemen were dropping, some fans started to assume the worst — that the Vikings would trade down rather than grab a tackle, guard, or centre — if you’re a long-time Vikings fan, this sort of pessimism comes naturally. In the event, however, the Vikings stood pat at 18 and selected North Carolina State centre Garrett Bradbury:

ESPN‘s Courtney Cronin had good things to say about Bradbury the day before the draft:

There are multiple scenarios in which the Vikings can still get the offensive line help they need while addressing a different concern with their first pick.

However, N.C. State center Garrett Bradbury is the perfect fit for Minnesota at No. 18. The elite prospect can be a difference-maker on the interior. He is a match on multiple fronts, from how his athletic traits fit the Vikings’ zone-blocking scheme to the positional flexibility he provides with their current personnel.

Bradbury was in an outside-zone scheme at N.C. State that required him to work into the second level, run laterally and move quickly. At the NFL combine, Bradbury recorded the fastest three-cone time (7.41 seconds), as well as the third-fastest 40-yard dash (4.92), among offensive linemen.

His strength and movement skills strike comparisons to former Vikings guard/center Nick Easton and many of the traits found in last year’s second-round pick, Brian O’Neill. Drafting a player with a skill set this vast is critical to the Vikings’ zone-running scheme and can create a more explosive attack in areas like the play-action game.

At Zone Coverage, Sam Ekstrom had this to say about Bradbury:

Garrett Bradbury might be the best center in the draft. He certainly was in the country in 2018, winning the Rimington Trophy, which went to current Viking Pat Elflein two years ago before he was drafted by the Vikings in the third round. Bradbury also has experience at left and right guard, where he spent several seasons before transitioning to center. His interior flexibility makes him an asset, and as a former tight end in high school, his athleticism would make him effective in a zone scheme.

Bradbury ran the third-best 40 and top 3-cone drill at the combine amongst linemen. He also had the second-best bench press. He has a lot of reps under his belt already as he nears age 24, but he proved durable as a three-year starter for North Carolina State.

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, on the various Viking fan forums, chats, blogs and even \r\MinnesotaVikings seems to have been completely blindsided by the way this year’s NFL draft fell out for their favourite team. When the team didn’t select UTEP’s Will Hernandez with their first round pick, there was a stunned silence (well, relatively speaking), and then the nay-sayers quickly got up to speed with variations on “this means Trae Waynes/Mackenzie Alexander are hot garbage” and many of the rest were just in denial. The next day, with the fans baying for a quick trade-up to snag (take your pick of the remaining top-ranked offensive guards), the selection of a tackle from the same program that produced legendary bust T.J. Clemmings had the pitchforks and burning brands being passed out and a quick noose-tying seminar running at the back of the room.

Day three of the draft did little to re-assure the angry draftniks, but the Daily Norseman‘s Ted Glover is going to try to soothe the savage breast with a little tap dance and top hat routine also known as his Stock Market Report:

In recent seasons, Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman has received kudos around here (for the most part) on draft weekend. His aggressive trades up in the early rounds, and savvy (if sometimes maddening) maneuvering in later rounds have netted players that the consensus of folks tend to really like.

This year, though, the reception to this year’s draft class has been more…um…muted. The general theme is ‘the Vikings didn’t take an interior offensive lineman right away. Ergo, everything sucks and just let the meteor hit and give me the sweet release of death.’

Mind you, this was a team that went 13-3 and made it to the NFC Championship game…but I digress. When the takes are hot, the takes are hot.

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With the first two days of the 2018 NFL draft in the books, we roll on to day three where Rick Spielman is usually a busy trader. After trading their third-round pick to Tampa Bay late on Friday, the Vikings began the final day of the draft with the following picks in hand:

• R4N02 (102nd overall) – Acquired from Tampa Bay
• R5N30 (167th overall)
• R6N06 (180th overall) – Acquired from Tampa Bay
• R6N30 (204th overall)
• R6N39 (213th overall) – Compensatory pick
• R6N44 (218th overall) – Compensatory pick
• R7N33 (225th overall) – Acquired from Denver

With the second pick of the fourth round, the Vikings selected Jalyn Holmes, defensive end from THE … [dramatic pause] … Ohio State University:

Holmes was a team captain in his true senior season of 2017 and made nine starts, garnering an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection by coaches and media.

The 6-foot-5 defensive end totaled 51 games during his Buckeyes career.

Holmes helped Lake Taylor High School win its first Virginia 4A state championship in 2012 by racking up 79 tackles, 40 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

The pick was announced in St. Paul by the U.S. Olympic Curling Team.

Holmes doesn’t rush well enough to be a 4-3 end and needs more strength to fit into 3-4 fronts. However, if he improves his hand usage and adds lower body strength, he has the potential to become an effective 3-4 end with the ability to push the pocket as an interior rusher in sub packages. Holmes lacks the explosiveness to be a starter who will fill up the stat sheet, but he has intriguing size/strength potential that could make him a better pro than college player.

That last paragraph is quoted from an NFL.com pre-draft evaluation.

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After the shock of the first round — the Vikings actually using their original pick instead of trading down — the team entered the second day of the 2018 NFL draft with the following picks for day 2 of the draft:

• R2N30 (62nd overall)
• R3N30 (94th overall)

The team’s identified needs include offensive line, defensive line, running back, tight end, and safety, in roughly that order of priority. After off-season losses, a starting guard or tackle is the highest priority, then defensive line rotational depth, a pass-catching running back to provide a change-of-pace on third down, and depth at the tight end and safety positions.

Hard though it may be to believe, “Trader” Rick actually went ahead again and selected a player at the 62nd overall pick with no hint of a trade. The selection was Brian O’Neill, Tackle, Pittsburgh:

From the Vikings website:

Player Bio

O’Neill’s athleticism helped him win honors as Delaware High School Defensive Player of the Year (five sacks, 13 pass deflections, also 33 receptions, 614 yards, and eight touchdowns as a tight end) in football and the state’s basketball Player of the Year award. His talent came as no surprise since his father was a running back at Dartmouth and his mother a swimmer at Northeastern University. O’Neill was a tight end during his redshirt season in 2014 and the following spring but moved over to offensive tackle before the 2015 season. He played in all 13 games, starting the final 12 (one at left tackle, the rest at right tackle). O’Neill continued his improvement on the line, starting all 13 games at right tackle and earning second-team All-ACC from league coaches. Injuries on the line caused him to move to left tackle for his junior season, where he started all 12 games and garnered first-team all-conference honors. Pitt coaches used O’Neill’ athleticism as an offensive weapon as a rusher (two scores, one on a lateral and the other on an end-around) and passer (0-for-2). He won the satirical “Piesman Trophy” in 2016 for one of his touchdowns.

Overview

O’Neill has good length and is a terrific athlete, but his inconsistencies at the Senior Bowl practices will be hard for teams to get out of their minds. What might be even more troubling is the way he seemed to panic and lose technique in certain matchups. O’Neill is a classic zone scheme blocker, but teams may take a look at him as a move guard with tackle potential rather than locking in with him as a blind-side tackle. O’Neill needs to get thicker and stronger or swing tackle could be his ceiling.

And finally, the pressure must have gotten to “Trader” Rick, having gone two whole rounds with no trades, ended up swapping the Vikings’ third round pick to Tampa Bay, collecting the Bucs’ fourth round (102nd overall) and sixth round (180th overall) picks in exchange. This means the team has the following picks (pending further trade activity) for the final day of the draft:

• R4N02 (102nd overall) – Acquired from Tampa Bay
• R5N30 (167th overall)
• R6N06 (180th overall) – Acquired from Tampa Bay
• R6N30 (204th overall)
• R6N39 (213th overall) – Compensatory pick
• R6N44 (218th overall) – Compensatory pick
• R7N33 (225th overall) – Acquired from Denver in the Trevor Siemian trade earlier this year.

The Minnesota Vikings started the first day of the draft holding the 30th overall pick, along with seven later draft picks. Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman has been a very active trader in previous drafts, so the odds of the team actually picking a player at the number 30 spot seemed slim. Spielman has said on several occasions that he prefers to have up to 10 draft picks, rather than the default seven each team is allotted. And yet, when the number 30 pick was due to be turned in, it was the Vikings making the pick after all, selecting cornerback Mike Hughes from the University of Central Florida.

First, I must admit that I didn’t know anything about Hughes until after he’d been selected by the Vikings, but I did suggest yesterday that I thought cornerback was the Vikings’ #2 need in this draft. If the team thinks they can get a quality guard or tackle in the second round (quality being defined as starter or close-to-starter level), then going for cornerback help makes a lot of sense.

Here’s the Vikings announcement on Hughes:

Bio

An all-state pick from Bern, North Carolina, Hughes signed on with home-state UNC for the 2015 season. He played in 11 games as a reserve that year, making 12 tackles and breaking up three passes. Hughes was suspended in October, however, for violating team rules after being part of an incident at a fraternity house. His time with the Tar Heels was over, so he attended Garden City Community College in 2016, earning national junior college All-American honors with 47 tackles, two interceptions, six pass breakups, and three return touchdowns. UCF Head Coach Scott Frost convinced Hughes to join UCF for the 2017 season, and his play was a big reason for the team’s undefeated record. He started 12 of 13 contests, garnering first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors as a defensive back (44 tackles, four interceptions — one returned for a touchdown, team-high 11 pass breakups) and second-team accolades as a returner (20 attempts, 635 yards, two touchdowns on kick returns; 13 attempts, 233 yards, one touchdown on punt returns).

Overview

Hughes simply hasn’t had the game experience he needs to put together the consistency in coverage that teams might like to see. He’s a projection-based prospect who has shown twitch, ball production and toughness in a small sample size. Despite being a little short, he is likely to stay outside in coverage. While teams wait for him to gain coverage experience, they can certainly lean on his tremendous talents as a return man. Hughes has potential, but there is still work to be done in coverage.

Update: At the Daily Norseman, Ted Glover considers the first day of the draft, both the sensible and the head-scratching.