The Most Surprising Aspect of the Vikings Draft

The Minnesota Vikings welcomed 10 gamers to the franchise this 7 days by means of the 2022 NFL Draft soon after a topsy-turvy celebration stuffed to the gills with trades.

These are the newcomers:

R1: Lewis Cine, S (Georgia)
R2: Andrew Booth Jr., CB (Clemson)
R2: Ed Ingram, G (LSU)
R3: Brian Asamoah, LB (Oklahoma)
R4: Akayleb Evans, CB (Missouri)
R5: Esezi Otomewo, DE (Minnesota)
R5: Ty Chandler, RB (North Carolina)
R6: Vederian Lowe, OT (Illinois)
R6: Jalen Nailor, WR (Michigan Point out)
R7: Nick Muse, TE (South Carolina)

The most astonishing element of the Vikings draft is new head coach Kevin O’Connell — who has an offense track record as OC with the Los Angeles Rams — will get no offensive playmakers regarded as “game prepared.“

This is not an indictment of the draft course. Instead, it is just a very little confounding that the new offense-initially coach would onboard no certain-fireplace offensive weapons in the course of his maiden voyage.

Of training course, a handful of late-round mini-weapons was additional in Ty Chandler, Jalen Nailor, and Nick Muse. Nevertheless, adult males drafted “that late” in a draft are lottery tickets, holding only raw developmental guarantee. Chandler, Nailor, and Muse will not start out for the Vikings in September.

The defense in truth required refurbishment, so the draft’s early rounds weren’t spectacular. In the previous two seasons — categorized by most as the downfall of former head mentor Mike Zimmer — Minnesota permitted 388.3 yards for every recreation, the fourth-most (worst) in the NFL. For the duration of all those cumulative campaigns, the Vikings have been defensively aligned for every the figures with bad teams like the Jets, Texans, and Lions. That corporation is awful.

Ergo, Minnesota fortifying the defensive depth chart is a sensible approach. As Adam Thielen turns 32, Irv Smith Jr. recovers from season-extensive injury, and Dalvin Prepare dinner enters the back fifty percent of his physical key, Adofo-Mensah could’ve reasonably drafted a player like George Pickens from Georgia or Trey McBride of Colorado Condition. At minimum then, O’Connell, an “offense man,” would’ve had a thing to engage in with from the draft class.

This can also be interpreted as rubberstamp of the Vikings present offensive roster staff. When Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell bought down to brass tacks assessing the roster in February, perhaps they just actually favored the position quo. In that regard, Kirk Cousins and good friends will be in very good palms if so.

Make no error — this was a defensive draft for the 2022 Vikings, providing the franchise with defenders for the foreseeable future.

It’s just a wee bit eyebrow-increasing that not one particular “big name” offensive playmaker was drafted.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his every day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every single Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates again to 1996. Detailed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Product, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).