Vikings Select LSU G Ed Ingram, Oklahoma LB Brian Asamoah II With Picks 59 and 66

The Vikings add two more potential impact contributors in Ingram and Asamoah.

With their third and fourth picks of the 2022 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected LSU guard Ed Ingram (No. 59 overall) and Oklahoma LB Brian Asamoah II (66).

It's an interestingly similar stretch to one the Vikings had on Day 2 last year, when they also took an athletic linebacker and a guard in a short span. In that draft, they took Chazz Surratt at 78 and Wyatt Davis at 86, among their four total third-round picks.

For what it's worth, both Ingram (101) and Asamoah (88) were deemed reaches by The Athletic's consensus big board. But analyst's draft boards are always different from NFL teams' boards, and clearly the Vikings believe Ingram and Asamoah can help them.

Vikings select Ed Ingram at 59

Ingram joins the competition for the Vikings' open starting job at right guard, which also features veterans Chris Reed and Jesse Davis, as well as Wyatt Davis. Reed could also compete with Garrett Bradbury to start at center.

A long, powerful guard prospect, Ingram started 35 games in his LSU career (23 at LG, 12 at RG). He's got strong hands and has great athleticism for the position, as evidenced by his 5.02 40 time, which ranks in the 90th percentile among offensive linemen. That athleticism helps him shine as a puller in the run game, and his strength is an asset in pass protection. He led all SEC guards in PFF pass-blocking grade in 2021.

Ingram plays with a violent temperament and is always looking to finish blocks. He has improved his technique and ability to identify stunts and twists over the years, but his aggressive approach can still get him in trouble at times, balance-wise.

"Ingram needs to clean up his leaning and hand mechanics, but he has the explosive upper body, strong base and competitive temperament to match up with defensive interior linemen at the next level," wrote The Athletic's Dane Brugler. "He is scheme-versatile and looks like a future NFL starter."

"Ingram is a top-tier puller in the class with the strength/power, pass pro skills and physicality to earn a starting job as a rookie inside a multiple run scheme," wrote Trench Warfare's Brandon Thorn, who is a big fan of Ingram's game.

It also has to be noted that Ingram was arrested in 2018 and charged with two felony counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor. He was suspended from the LSU team for that season. The details aren't fully known and the charges were eventually dropped, leading to Ingram's reinstatement.

From Deadspin:

Ingram was accused by two sisters of repeatedly sexually assaulting them during a period that began when Ingram was almost 16 and when the two girls were under the age of 14. The notice of offenses does not list the precise dates of any of the alleged assaults, though the document offers descriptions of alleged assaults that occurred in a yearlong window spanning almost all of 2015 (Ingram turned 16 in February of 2015).

"It’s a serious charge and something we have investigated," said Vikings co-director of player personnel Jamaal Stephenson. "We have vetted him and feel good about where we are."

"I mean, right now I just want to focus on what’s going on right now," Ingram said. "Just got drafted. There’s been a lot thrown at me and a lot of friends and family congratulating me and it’s just a happy moment right now for my life."

Vikings select Brian Asamoah II at 66

Asamoah is an undersized, speedy, sideline-to-sideline linebacker who is excellent at recognizing plays and exploding to the ball. He racked up 178 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 6 passed defended, and an interception in three seasons at Oklahoma.

A tough, competitive player, Asamoah is good at evading blocks in his pursuit of the ball. Once he gets there, he's a strong tackler who can get ballcarriers to the ground. His 4.56 speed allows him to have a lot of range both against the run and when dropping in coverage. Asamoah is just 6 feet tall and 225 pounds, but he makes up for it most of the time with his athleticism and football IQ.

"Asamoah plays with the foot speed to make plays downhill, outside the numbers, and when dropping and covering in space," Brugler wrote in his draft guide. "He can be engulfed at times, but he has decent length and should continue to get better taking on contact. Overall, Asamoah is undersized and underpowered, but he has sideline-to-sideline speed with dependable tackling skills and upside in coverage. He projects as a run-and-chase linebacker with NFL starting potential."

With the Vikings, Asamoah joins a linebacker room that features veteran starters Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks and several young players in Blake Lynch, Troy Dye, and Surratt. He'll likely see the field on special teams right away and will compete for defensive snaps as a rookie.

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