The 2019 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class

[RpMc]

YOUR 2019 MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT CLASS

1.18 - Garrett Bradbury, C - NC State
2.50 - Irv Smith Jr., TE - Alabama
3.102 - Alexander Mattison, RB - Boise State
4.114 - Dru Samia, G - Oklahoma
5.162 - Cameron Smith, LB - USC
6.190 - Armon Watts, DT - Arkansas
6.191 - Marcus Epps, DB - Wyoming
6.193 - Olisaemeka Udoh, T - Elon
7.217 - Kris Boyd, CB - Texas
7.239 - Dillon Mitchell, WR - Oregon
7.247 - Olabisi Johnson, WR - Colorado State
7.250 - Austin Cutting, LS - Air Force

Edited April 28, 2019 by RpMc

[JDBrocks]

My initial reaction is that they did a great job addressing needs. I was surprised that one of the veterans wasn’t moved, but I think that they have 5, potentially 6 players that could be important contributors this year.

[Robbroy45]

Jake Browning to the Vikings per his instagram

[RpMc]

Going to be a lot of stuff coming out about UDFA's - could be signed, could be rookie camp invites. 

[SemperFeist]

 

[Robbroy45]

 

[vikingsrule]

I thought Thursday was a great day, Bradbury was a fantastic pick. 

I hated Friday, not a fan of the Smith pick and I didn't get the third round strategy, just to settle on a RB.

Saturday was solid, I liked the Samia selection, I think he's got a good chance to be something. 

Im concerned that DL wasn't really addressed. It could look really bad next year if Griffen and/or Weatherly walk, not to forget, not having a viable long term 3T. Would have used Friday to beef up the DL, and get offensive skill players on day 3.

 

[Ozzy]

2 minutes ago, vikingsrule said:

I thought Thursday was a great day, Bradbury was a fantastic pick. 

I hated Friday, not a fan of the Smith pick and I didn't get the third round strategy, just to settle on a RB.

Saturday was solid, I liked the Samia selection, I think he's got a good chance to be something. 

Im concerned that DL wasn't really addressed. It could look really bad next year if Griffen and/or Weatherly walk, not to forget, not having a viable long term 3T. Would have used Friday to beef up the DL, and get offensive skill players on day 3.

 

I agree some DL help would have been a big plus but maybe they like Bower and Weatherly a ton, and I love that they brought back Odenigbo I liked him a lot and sucked they cut him last year but at least got him back.  And Aruna has a lot of upside, and maybe that have big hopes for Stephen bringing him back but some DT depth would help but will see how Johnson does, I do not hold out much hope for Holmes ever becoming a great player.

Watts I am not super familiar with out of Arkansas, only one year of production but at least he is a DT body they can put in there.  The Cameron Smith pick I hope is a sign Gedeon is out period as a starter.  Go with Barr, Kendricks and Wilson and maybe Smith if he turns out to be ok or put Barr at DE which I still doubt they do but will see.   

 

The WRs in the 7th round I feel they could have picked out better players there potentially.

 

[PrplChilPill]

Looks solid. I don't understand not taking a DL in round three, and no, I have no name. But, imo, they need some DL depth. Other than that, looks quite solid.

[RpMc]

Spielman singled out, and mentioned, Jalyn Holmes and Ifaedi Odenigbo, and how they attacked the offseason; that could be why there was no early DL taken.

[solidvikingfan]

10 minutes ago, PrplChilPill said:

Looks solid. I don't understand not taking a DL in round three, and no, I have no name. But, imo, they need some DL depth. Other than that, looks quite solid.

Why do you think they need DL depth they have 4 young ends to compete for 1 maybe 2 spots with special teams factor behind the 3 guys who had every  major DE rep and we ultimately IMO have to see what Johnson and Holmes can do at DT with committed reps.

Edited April 27, 2019 by solidvikingfan

[PrplChilPill]

Just now, solidvikingfan said:

Whydo you think they need DL depth they have 4 young ends to compete for 1 maybe 2 spots with special teams factor behind the 3 guys who had every  major DE rep and we ultimately IMO have to see what Johnson and Holmes can do at DT with committed reps.

Because none of those guys have shown anything, and this was a deep DT class. Let's hope they are right. And, the DL is aging, and they will need one or two new starters in a year or two at most. Just an opinion. I could be wrong. Like I said, solid draft, other than that one question

[Krauser]

They have a lot of DL depth: Jaleel Johnson at NT/DT, Jalyn Holmes and now Armon Watts at DT, Ifeadi Odenigbo at DE/DT, and Stephen Weatherly and Tashawn Bower at DE. That's even ignoring faint hopes from the practice squad or IR like Ade Aruna and my old favorite Hercules Mata'afa. 

The immediate question is whether they have a good enough starter at 3-tech DT. Shamar and Jaleel can play early downs but they don't offer much of a pass rush.  They need Holmes to develop at least into a nickel rusher, or else for Watts to take that role.  I don't hate the idea of giving the DT situation a year to see if one of the young guys steps up. If they'd used a high  pick on a DT this year,  they'd be closing the door on Holmes' position switch before he really got a chance to prove himself.

Longer term, the question is who's going to start at DE opposite Hunter in 2020. Griffen's new deal voids if he gets a starters workload this year.

Weatherly's in the last year of his rookie deal and will be due for a significant raise if he shows he deserves to start. Maybe they can extend him? He's probably going to be loyal to the team that helped him develop to the point that he's earned a long-term contract. But I don't know if the Vikings will be able to afford it. 

Beyond that is Odenigbo, who's apparently more of a DT now, and Bower, who's yet to show he can produce in the NFL. 

So I was really hoping they'd land an edge rusher in the middle rounds, who could spend a year learning as the DE4 (ahead of Bower), then be in line to play more in year 2. I really liked Maxx Crosby, who was there at the end of the 3rd round when they took the RB. Mattison looks like a very good player but to me the positional value at DE should've outweighed that. 

Edited April 27, 2019 by Krauser

[Snake Plissken]

8 minutes ago, RpMc said:

Spielman singled out, and mentioned, Jalyn Holmes and Ifaedi Odenigbo, and how they attacked the offseason; that could be why there was no early DL taken.

I thought the same as well. He said Holmes was up to about 300 lbs and had improved physically. He also noticed Odenigbo had developed physically as well  in his year away. 

[PrplChilPill]

More importantly, the blocking will be much better! I see Cook having a big year.