The 2019 Minnesota Vikings Draft Class

[RpMc]

 

[Krauser]

Cook would’ve had a good chance to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, if he’d stayed healthy. He was averaging 88 rushing yards per game, and 111 yards from scrimmage per game, including the week 4 Lions game where he got hurt early in the 2nd half. If he’d kept that up (decent chance, the OL played well until the playoffs), he would’ve gotten a lot of credit for the 13-3 record and would’ve been on short lists for OROY and the Pro Bowl. 

I’ll put up an analysis of the Vikings approach to contract management as a separate post. The next couple of years will be a challenge but they should be fine. 

The Patriots do not have a better roster than the Vikings. Their LT has never played a down in the NFL. Their best tight end is Austin Sefarian-Jenkins and their 2nd best WR is either Dorsett or Thomas. They don’t have a better edge rusher than Bennett.

The Pats don’t win because their roster is great, they win because they have the best coach in the history of the game, a HOF QB playing for peanuts because his wife is rich and the team kicks money back to him through a business venture, and all the old pros are willing to sign there for cheap to win a ring. They’re an amazing team, the class of the NFL, but they’re not a realistic scenario for any other team to use to evaluate their own roster. Compare the Vikings to the other well run NFC teams (Eagles, Rams, Saints, Falcons, Cowboys, Panthers, Seahawks) or to the rest of the NFC North, if you want to make a fair assessment of where they’re at, and how they need to improve. 

[Ozzy]

7 minutes ago, Krauser said:

Cook would’ve had a good chance to make the Pro Bowl as a rookie, if he’d stayed healthy. He was averaging 88 rushing yards per game, and 111 yards from scrimmage per game, including the week 4 Lions game where he got hurt early in the 2nd half. If he’d kept that up (decent chance, the OL played well until the playoffs), he would’ve gotten a lot of credit for the 13-3 record and would’ve been on short lists for OROY and the Pro Bowl. 

I’ll put up an analysis of the Vikings approach to contract management as a separate post. The next couple of years will be a challenge but they should be fine. 

The Patriots do not have a better roster than the Vikings. Their LT has never played a down in the NFL. Their best tight end is Austin Sefarian-Jenkins and their 2nd best WR is either Dorsett or Thomas. They don’t have a better edge rusher than Bennett.

The Pats don’t win because their roster is great, they win because they have the best coach in the history of the game, a HOF QB playing for peanuts because his wife is rich and the team kicks money back to him through a business venture, and all the old pros are willing to sign there for cheap to win a ring. They’re an amazing team, the class of the NFL, but they’re not a realistic scenario for any other team to use to evaluate their own roster. Compare the Vikings to the other well run NFC teams (Eagles, Rams, Saints, Falcons, Cowboys, Panthers, Seahawks) or to the rest of the NFC North, if you want to make a fair assessment of where they’re at, and how they need to improve. 

They are 100% behind the Saints no question about that in my book.  The Packers are gaining on them and the Bears have arguably passed them as well.  The Falcons are going to get back to form, the 49ers should be very good as well and have a ton of defensive talent now especially up front.  Washington is up and coming, the Rams will be around and Seattle is starting to play better with a ton of new players at a variety of positions, not to mention all of these teams have arguably a better QB outside of the Bears and Washington and even that is debatable if one is looking long term outside of right now.  On the AFC the Steelers, Chiefs, Colts, Texans, Chargers are some other teams clearly ahead of the Vikings top to bottom across the board.  

 

The Patriots lost Solder last year, did not matter, lost Trenton Brown this past season and that will potentially be filled.  They draft really well at all positions and this past draft was no exception.  True Brady plays for nothing but at least he is willing to do it to win instead of a certain QB.  They always find a way and have a standout secondary and players who know how to play and have a system they fit into. They have depth and talent at every position and guys to fill when others leave or get hurt. What is the Vikings system?    Defense maybe but not according to how they played last year compared to the year before.  Will see if running the ball can change things or not and hope it does.  The Patriots lose guys but it never seems to matter, lose free agents all the time and fill the voids constantly it is nuts, and to say that is not skilled drafted well it is.  

If the Vikings are so talented then why did they play like they did last season?  You think they played like a team top 5 much less top 10 in the NFL in talent across the board?  No.  Take the Patriots out of it, many teams and plenty in the NFC are right on par if not ahead of the Vikings I feel especially in their own division.  

 

Let us just go OL, the Saints, Cowboys, Redskins, Rams, Eagles, Packers and Bears, all have a better OL than the Vikings and it is not even close.  They also arguably in terms of depth and production have better defensive lines as well in terms of pure depth and that is only the NFC, maybe not the Redskins or Packers but if one includes 3/4 OLB as DL/DE depth they do arguably especially in terms of number of quality players.  

 

What do the Vikings have, on paper two great starting receivers and a on paper very good and deep defensive backfield that did not play up to par last year but a lot of that was injury related arguably.  And sure say Cook made the Pro bowl, that is still a lot of time to not have elite level production through the draft.  Pro bowl is not everything but the Vikings barely are getting starters in the draft who will be starters for 8-10 years.  Hughes for sure is one when healthy and Cook but I seriously question his health moving forward, was an issue in college and clearly has been in the NFL as well.  But sure I could just say like some others do yup, every pick they make is top of the line and great.

[vike daddy]

1 hour ago, RpMc said:

North Carolina State
Alabama
Boise State
Oklahoma
USC
Arkansas
Wyoming
Elon
Texas
Oregon
Colorado State
Air Force

and here's where they grew up, for what that's worth...

• Charlotte, NC
• New Orleans, LA
• San Bernardino, CA
• Sacramento, CA
• Granite Bay, CA (near Sacramento)
• St Louis, MO
• Los Angeles, CA
• Fayetteville, NC
• Gilmer, TX
• Memphis, TN
• Wheat Ridge, CO (Denver suburb)
• Keller, TX

 

[byuvike88]

13 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

and here's where they grew up, for what that's worth...

• Charlotte, NC
• New Orleans, LA
• San Bernardino, CA
• Sacramento, CA
• Granite Bay, CA (near Sacramento)
• St Louis, MO
• Los Angeles, CA
• Fayetteville, NC
• Gilmer, TX
• Memphis, TN
• Wheat Ridge, CO (Denver suburb)
• Keller, TX

 

Imagine going from LA to Laramie 

[Cearbhall]

58 minutes ago, RpMc said:

2016 - Mackensie Alexnander, David Morgan, Stephen Weatherly, Jayron Kearse
2017 - Dalvin Cook, Pat Elflein, Jaleel Johnson, Ben Gedeon
2018 - Mike Hughes, Brian O'Neill (still too early to tell)

All of the above are "solid" players that play contributing roles on the team.

That is an interesting perspective on what it means to be solid.  Some of those guys I consider to have been great disappointments.  Some of them that play "contributing" roles contributed negative value relative to an average NFL starter.

The team feeling a need to take a RB in the third round this year is an indictment on Dalvin Cook IMO. It is mostly owing to his inability to stay on the field, but when you take a player in the second round you have to be hoping that he'll have given you more in his first couple years and you shouldn't feel the need to take a RB in the third round a couple years later.  That is a lot of draft resources into a one of the positions that is easiest to fill; I wish they used those resources on premium positions instead. I don't think the team any longer sees Cook as a player that can carry the workload they had hoped he would be capable of when they drafted him -- and that is a disappointment.

J. Johnson is still up in the air, but the team felt the need to bring in FA tackle this year instead of letting Johnson take over the starting job. Johnson has had some good reps, but my perspective of what is solid is clearly different than your perspective.

Gadeon has been fine as a third LB in my opinion but that is only because that is one of the least important positions on defense. I see others calling for the team to bring in a replacement.

And yeah, don't even get me started on Elflein.  He was one the biggest problems on a bad offensive line last year. I have trouble even believing that you think he is solid even by the most lenient of definitions.  I suppose he could be worse though; he is better than TJ Clemmings was after a couple years of starting going into his third year.

I think that Mike Highes will be solid, but he hasn't been yet.  After a year, he has been hurt more than he has played. He might be a backup coming into his second year playing behind a solid set of CBs -- Rhodes, Waynes, and Alexander.

Or if you think that Alexander will be the backup, then it is hard to count him as being solid, at least by my perspective of what it means to be solid.

A solid player should be a starter, not a rotational player, and there should be no reasonable debate that they are not in the top half of the league as a starter at their position. It would be nice if the team got two such players out of each draft.  

[RpMc]

16 minutes ago, Cearbhall said:

A solid player should be a starter, not a rotational player, and there should be no reasonable debate that they are not in the top half of the league as a starter at their position. It would be nice if the team got two such players out of each draft.  

I guess we are arguing semantics. That’s what I would consider a “good” player to be - solid, to me, is that they serve a functional role on the team. All of the players I listed above would fall into that category for me. 

Some could arguably be higher, like Cook, but the rest do their job when called upon in rotation. As young players to get the contributions we have from Morgan, Weatherly, Kearse, Johnson, and Gedeon, all mid/late round picks is one of the reasons I don’t feel we are in cap trouble. We’ve been able to find role players, with potential, in the draft instead of having to round it out with free agents. I disagree on Elflein who was solid as a rookie and then had no warm up to the season while playing between two pylons at guard this year. It was a bad year, no doubt, but given the circumstances his struggle this year is understandable. If he doesn’t perform this year, then I’ll revisit my stance on him. 

As for the corners, why does Hughes, or Mack, being relegated to the fourth corner mean that one of them automatically is termed as “not solid.” Being behind a better player on the roster doesn’t make you a bad player, but if your definition of solid means they HAVE to be a starter, I can understand where you’re coming from. 

[vike daddy]

33 minutes ago, byuvike88 said:

Imagine going from LA to Laramie 

there are some who would look forward to that...

well, maybe not Wyoming, but somewhere in the West.

[vike daddy]

Stop if you’ve heard this before: Alabama led all colleges with 10 selections in the 2019 draft, and the SEC again led all conferences with 64 picks.

Ohio State had nine selections in the three-day draft, followed by Washington and Oklahoma with eight each and Texas A&M and Georgia with seven each. Auburn, Clemson, Ole Miss, Notre Dame and Penn State each had six players selected.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/04/28/alabama-sec-have-most-draft-picks-again/

[byuvike88]

1 hour ago, vike daddy said:

there are some who would look forward to that...

well, maybe not Wyoming, but somewhere in the West.

Oh I would totally look forward to that. It's just a bit culture adjustment...

[vike daddy]

1 minute ago, byuvike88 said:

Oh I would totally look forward to that. It's just a bit culture adjustment...

yes. surfboards to rodeos.

[Ozzy]

It was not a bad draft but looking at it here are players they could have picked at those spots

 

1 (18) Bradbury

I will give this to them, even though they could have got Sweat, Simmons, J. Taylor, C. Ford or G. Little. Mind you Taylor, Ford and Little not fit the system but I would be hard pressed to pass on Ford but Bradbury will give them that.   

 

 

2 (50) Irv Smith Jr.  TE
Nasir Adderley S, Zach Allen DE, Drew Sample TE, Max Scharping OT, DK Metcalf WR

Adderley sure is not a huge need but has Pro bowl potential, would arguably start over Harris this season, not to mention Allen who would give great depth and upside then Scharping could be a starting OT for awhile.  DK is a risk but would be hard to pass up and Sample is a better blocking TE and is bigger but not as big of a threat in the passing game but helps in the pass pro and run game more. 

 

 

3 (102) Mattison RB
Hakeem Butler WR, Gardner-Johnson S, Maxx Crosby DE, Anthony Nelson DE, Julian Love CB

If they did not trade their 3rd rounder could have got Connor McGovern, Chuma Edoga or Miles Boykin

Not as big of a deal but again passed on a very good safety in Gardner-Johnson, Maxx Crosby could have gave fine depth and upside to the DE as could Nelson.  Boykin would fill a void at WR and provide something they do not have but clearly they are comfortable with the DE and DL depth.  Would not have minded Edoga if they did not address the OL earlier but he is a little bit of a project but has some power to him, same with McGovern.  

 

 

4 (114)  Dru Samia OG
Froholdt OG

Could just give them this also but as a fundamental player Froholdt is arguably more solid, Samia has more versatility being able to play OT possibly as well so that helps, so cannot argue that one

 

5 (162) Smith
J. Jackson DE, David Edwards OT, Jaquan Johnson S

Again not a big deal but could have got DE depth with Jackson or a great ball hawking safety in Johnson who is a energizer out there, or a project OT in Edwards

 

 

6 (190) Watts DT
Harmon WR, R. Anderson RB, T. Homer RB, Beckner DT

6 (191) Epps S

6 (193) Udoh OT

Not a huge deal, I will give them Udoh but safety could have been addressed earlier with a better player.  Harmon would be a nice pickup at WR and give us something we do not have in terms of a physical WR who can go up and get the football in traffic more.  Anderson could have been a steal at RB, same with Homer if that was not address and Beckner is a high potential DT and would fill a need

 

7 (217) Boyd CB
Sweeney TE, Weber RB, Nauta TE, Moreland CB, Gaskin RB, Asafo-Adjei OG

Would love Sweeney there he has a lot of ability I think.  Also could fill a void with RB in Gaskins but needed more power so Mattison does have that at least.  Moreland could be a great slot corner but is not a huge need or get some OG depth with Asafo-Adjei

 

 

7 (239) D. Mitchell WR
J. Barton OT, Jelks DE, C. Slayton DT, K. Ellis LB/DE

Would have loved Jelks and his long arm potential at DE, Slayton could be nice depth at DT also or Ellis who has a lot of athletic upside as a edge rusher or OT depth with Barton who has potential

 

 

7 (247) O. Johnson WR

7 (250) A Cutting LS
J. Williams RB, Anthony Johnson WR, Emanuel Hall WR, S. Morgan WR, David Sills WR, G. Dortch WR, J. Ferguson WR, J. Custis WR, D. Raymond TE, CJ Conrad TE, Y. Nijman OL, Donnell Greene OT, M. Hyatt OT, T. Tate OG, A. Bars OG, Granderson DE, C. Kaufusi DE, G. Willis DT, A. Huggins DT, G. Johnson LB, A. Wingard S, D. Baity CB, T. Jackson QB, 

Hard to say because they are some of the last picks but quite a few players they could have taken and more talented WRs were there I feel without question.  And many of these could be moved up and I would have been fine with them at that point.  Could have arguably got both of these guys Johnson and Cutting as UDFA.  Could have got TE late or OT help which was not terrible.  DT help or DE help or LB help with the speedy Gary Johnson or safety DB help with Wingard or Baity.  So many players I would have taken especially at WR over Johnson and some surprising DL and OL talents who dropped probably because of recent or lingering injuries

 

 

 

 

My biggest problems would be who they could have got in that 2nd round potentially and especially these late 7th round picks who they could have picked as well who are arguably better prospects, will see how it all turns out.  Irv Smith I like just not sure at that specific spot.  If one does not know the players all that well and who they are not picking, obviously one does not have problems with who they picked as much as long as it fills a positional need.  They did do that filling needs, but missed on some more high potential prospects I feel.

 

 

Edited April 28, 2019 by Ozzy

[vike daddy]

5 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

It was not a bad draft but looking at it here are players they could have picked at those spots

do we really care any more? we could have had Tom Brady too.

this is our team now, we play the hand we have.

[Ozzy]

15 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

do we really care any more? we could have had Tom Brady too.

this is our team now, we play the hand we have.

I follow the draft, I am a Viking fan but I follow the draft first and for most and as many of the prospects as I can.  Clearly our opinions are a little different in what you look at after the draft, I do not assume everything the Vikings do is correct.  Others just want to look at the absolute positive side of things because they want some hope which is understandable.  

 

At least it is not when Denny coached, Wong I hated at ILB and Ramos McDonald was a joke picking him where they did.  But they got a Hall of Famer and a pro bowler in that same draft and had an identity as a team.   Kenny Wright I did not like and do not get me started on Michael Bennett or Eric Kelly who was flat bad.  But then got some decent guys a few years after that, starter with Tomlin and now with Zim way more success on defensive in general which is great.  Now seems to have kind of stalled a little bit after a few years back they had tons of momentum as an organization and in terms of the players they drafted.   

 

If you want a biased Viking opinion, yeah do not read what I have to say then because it is not that.  Might be a wrong opinion to some but it is based on the players that I watch and how other teams did in the darft.  Sure I am probably harder on the Vikings than any other team but when they succeed I have no problem saying that either.  

[Klomp]

3 hours ago, byuvike88 said:

Imagine going from LA to Laramie 

Paid his own way those first two years too