Minnesota Vikings 2023 NFL Draft Recap: Playmakers, Versatile Defenders, and a QB
The Minnesota Vikings made six selections in the 2023 NFL Draft, their second under the leadership of GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell. Here's the full haul:
- Round 1, Pick 23: USC WR Jordan Addison
- Round 3, Pick 102: USC CB Mekhi Blackmon
- Round 4, Pick 134: LSU S/CB Jay Ward
- Round 5, Pick 141: LSU DT Jaquelin Roy
- Round 5, Pick 164: BYU QB Jaren Hall
- Round 7, Pick 222: UAB RB DeWayne McBride
It's a class that fills some of the Vikings' immediate needs — and one that could have plenty of long-term upside. Let's go over some takeaways from what transpired over the past three days.
Meet the Vikings' UDFA signings, including Ivan Pace Jr. and Andre Carter II
The Vikings added two dynamic playmakers to their offense
In the first year of the Kevin O'Connell era, the Vikings finished seventh in total offense and eighth in scoring offense. And by using their first pick on Addison, they might be even more dangerous next season.
One of Minnesota's biggest offensive weaknesses last season — in addition to an inefficient running game and rookie guard Ed Ingram's struggles — was a lack of firepower beyond Justin Jefferson at the wide receiver position. Adam Thielen was an every-down player who had clearly lost a step, averaging a career-low 6.7 yards per target. K.J. Osborn is a solid No. 3, but not someone who defenses have to gameplan around.
With Addison in the mix, the Vikings may have a formidable one-two punch again. Defensive coordinators will have to account for Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson, which should leave Addison facing plenty of single coverage. That's good news for the Vikings, as Addison is a refined route-runner who should be able to thrive against man coverage right away in the NFL. Not only will Jefferson's presence help Addison eat, but the reverse is true as well. If the 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner can quickly establish himself as a major threat, defenses won't be able to bracket Jefferson.
Don't sleep on the Vikings' final pick of the draft, taken 199 spots after Addison. McBride has fumble issues he needs to fix and had almost zero receiving production in college, but he's a special between-the-tackles runner with a rare mix of vision, contact balance, and toughness. Adofo-Mensah said the Vikings had a "starter grade" on the UAB product. Assuming Dalvin Cook is eventually traded, McBride could have a chance to earn a role on this offense as a rookie.
Versatility is a key trait on the defensive side of the ball
The Vikings added three defenders in the middle of their draft, and there seemed to be a clear focus on finding versatile players who can fill multiple roles. That's a big thing for new coordinator Brian Flores, who is all about aggressiveness and adaptability.
Blackmon is a cornerback who can play both inside and outside. Ward is a cornerback/safety hybrid who played all over the place at LSU, starting 13 games at safety, 6 at slot corner, and 4 at outside corner. Roy is a stout defensive lineman who can play three-tech or nose tackle and could eventually help the Vikings' run defense.
All three players — and Blackmon in particular — will have a chance to compete for roles as rookies. Once Flores and the rest of the Vikings' defensive coaches learn a little more about what they have, they'll figure out the optimal ways to deploy each player.
"I would say it's a big part of what (our coaches) do," Adofo-Mensah said. "It's a big part of obviously what I've looked for in the past, but especially in (Flores') defense, he is so good at optimizing people's skill sets, and he will match personnel, he will match different schemes. Giving him weapons to do so is ultimately my job, and I'm happy to do so for him."
Jaren Hall was well worth a flier in the fifth round
Heading into the first round on Thursday night, it seemed like there was a decent chance the Vikings would be using their first pick on a quarterback. They reportedly did a ton of work on this QB class in recent months, and with Kirk Cousins' contract expiring after this season, this was a possible opportunity to find a QB of the future and let them develop for a year.
But C.J. Stroud went second overall and Anthony Richardson went fourth, and the Vikings weren't in position to trade up quite that high from 23. They chose to pass on Will Levis and Hendon Hooker, who fell to the second and third round, respectively. In doing so, they delayed their decision on who their starting quarterback will be in 2024 and beyond. And that's OK. They didn't have to decide right away.
"When you go into a contract negotiation, you're trying to come up with solutions together," Adofo-Mensah said. "It's not just what I want or the Vikings want or even what Kirk wants. It's what we can do together and ultimately put together that Lombardi. Sometimes you come to a place where it's like, let's talk later, this is the solution for now. That's all that's happened."
The Vikings didn't let the draft go by without at least taking a shot on a quarterback, though. In the fifth round, they took BYU's Hall, who some thought would go a round or two earlier.
It's a pick that makes a ton of sense. Hall is a mature, poised 25-year-old who handled a complex offense very effectively in college. There's a lot of crossover between his offense and BYU and what the Vikings do under O'Connell. Hall is a shorter quarterback, but he makes up for that with good pocket movement, excellent accuracy and touch, and the athleticism to extend plays outside of the pocket. He had a 51/11 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the past two seasons, which tells you he takes care of the football while still generating big plays.
Hall will come in, learn from Cousins and Nick Mullens and the Vikings' coaches, and the team gets to see what he can become. He has the traits to carve out a role as a backup in the NFL — and just enough arm talent and playmaking flair to have a little bit of potential upside beyond that.
"There’s just a certain “it” factor that you’re always looking for in a quarterback," said Vikings Director of College Scouting Mike Sholiton. "It’s really special when there’s a unanimous agreement on a player like Jaren that checks a lot of the boxes that (O'Connell) is looking for. We’re excited to see how that plays going forward with Jaren."
A few bonus thoughts
- The Vikings didn't draft a linebacker or edge rusher, but that's where the two big names in their UDFA class come in. Cincinnati ILB Ivan Pace Jr. and Army EDGE Andre Carter II were both draft-worthy prospects with a ton of college production. Pace is an undersized 'backer who flies around the field, while Carter is a 6'6" pass rusher who could be dangerous if he fills out his frame. Keep an eye on those two.
- The McBride pick seems to only reinforce the idea that Cook will eventually be traded. Adofo-Mensah didn't have any updates when asked about Cook and Za'Darius Smith. Those are ongoing situations to monitor (Danielle Hunter, too).
- Another notable position the Vikings didn't address in this draft is interior offensive line. They're banking on improvement from Ingram in his second season.
- Although this six-player draft class is the Vikings' smallest since 2009, keep in mind that 2022 draft picks like Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., Akayleb Evans, Brian Asamoah, and Ty Chandler could all be in line to play big roles this year after not seeing the field much as rookies. Health is a question with the first three names in that group but there's a lot of potential, too.
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