Where Did the Vikings Draft Picks Come From?

The NFL Draft is three days absent, and the Minnesota Vikings have eight picks inside the celebration.

And the route to those people picks is not straightforward, thanks to Rick Spielman’s wheeling and dealing in current a long time. Spielman was fired on January 10th, paving the way for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to choose about as general manager, who later hired Kevin O’Connell from the Los Angeles Rams as head coach.

Jointly, Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell will rework the Vikings into an offense-first corporation or, at the very minimum, a extra well balanced one particular. For 8 a long time with previous head mentor Mike Zimmer in the saddle, the Vikings preached protection, defense, and much more defense.

These are the origins of the Vikings eight draft picks:

Natural and organic Picks

The Vikings completed 8-9 in 2021, an underwhelming file that finally brought on the aforementioned terminations of Spielman and Zimmer. Since of the mediocre file, Minnesota drew 12th in the draft order.

These are the organic and natural picks, not affected or muddied by trade:

Surprisingly, that is it for natural picks — just four in a 7-round draft. These are picks acquired by way of trade.

Picks from Trades

Spielman pounded the pavement for trades — a whole lot. Some ended up thriving some had been unusual.

From Baltimore

Try to remember the second Yannick Ngakoue trade? This is the last piece of the puzzle. Just after Spielman expended a 2021 2nd-Rounder on the go rusher — a terrible trade in retrospect — he flipped the gentleman to the Baltimore Ravens months afterwards. Minnesota received a 3rd-Rounder final 12 months (made use of to draft Patrick Jones II) and this choose.

From New York Jets

Chris Herndon was acquired by the Vikings when Irv Smith Jr. bought damage late very last summer months. The Jets stole the Vikings 4th-Spherical choose in this week’s draft. Herndon was applied sparingly in the Vikings 2021 offense, so the offer was silly. But — this 6th-Rounder is the Vikings very last likelihood to “win the trade.”

From Kansas City

Mike Hughes and a 2022 7th-Rounder have been delivered to the Chiefs very last May possibly, and this is the payout. The Chiefs obtained some decent generation from Hughes in the normal season and a gaffe or two in the postseason. Hughes now performs for the Detroit Lions, and the Vikings will pick out the 191st player in the draft to exchange him.

From Denver

You’ll recall when the Vikings “gave away” Stephen Weatherly to the Broncos in advance of Danielle Hunter was wounded last Oct. Indeed, Spielman traded a first rate go rusher eight times prior to Hunter was shed for the year. Temperature signed with the Cleveland Browns this offseason, and Minnesota has a 7th-Spherical select to display for the far too-before long trade.

Notice: The Vikings don’t have an natural and organic 5th-Spherical decide since that was sent to Jacksonville in the Yannick Ngakoue trade, Quantity One particular.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College 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 back again to 1996. Stated responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Product, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).