A Half Dozen Vikings Draft Predictions: 3 Bold and 3 Bland
K. Joudry
|
A couple weeks ago, PurplePTSD shared a collection of bland and bold predictions from five Vikings writers across our two sites (we’re in cahoots with Vikings Territory).
I tossed a couple predictions into the mix – drafting linemen & scooping up Bo Nix – so I’ll be avoiding those ones in this round. Instead, the focus shifts to other areas of the roster alongside some broader trends for how the Vikings will approach the 2024 NFL Draft.
Returning to the Scene of the Crime:
Bland and Bold Predictions for the Vikings Draft
Bland #1: Kwesi Adofo-Mensah Continues His Trading Ways
Going into the event, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is sitting on nine total draft trades. If we toss in his earlier trade with the Texans, the Vikings’ GM is sitting at ten total draft swaps.
Adofo-Mensah is going to continue his trading ways as the event unfolds. The roster still has plenty of needs, so he’s going to explore a variety of avenues for improving the team. Part of that process involves moving up and down the board to pickup the players Minnesota covets.
Bold #1: The Vikings Snag a Kicker…in the 4th or 5th
Across a pair of drafts, Adofo-Mensah hasn’t put a draft pick into a specialist.
Undrafted free agency has been a different story. Punter Ryan Wright arrived as a UDFA and then UDFA kickers Gabe Brkic as well as Jack Podlesny offered some competition for Greg Joseph (if only for a short time). Adofo-Mensah will get more aggressive in improving the talent in this area, bringing in a talented college kicker to compete with veteran John Parker Romo.
Bland #2 – Minnesota Drafts a Player(s) Capable of Playing Different Positions
The team’s top executive likes versatile players since there is added assurance at multiple spots. The team’s top coaches have a similar desire for versatility.
One thinks of Kevin O’Connell being a fan of Blake Brandel, the backup offensive lineman who could play any of the five spots up front. And then Brian Flores loves moving his defenders all over the field, with guys like Josh Metellus and Harrison Smith being the top examples. Any chance they snag a DL/EDGE player to move anywhere from the 3T to 9T area?
Bold #2 – The Running Game Gets Yet Another Boost
Aaron Jones is going to be the lead runner in 2024. Behind him is the very promising Ty Chandler, who will be stepping into Year 3 in the NFL.
Kene Nwangwu remains as a speedster, DeWayne McBride is going to be a sophomore, and Myles Gaskin is rounding out the depth. Even still, Minnesota will do more. Look for a Day 3 pick to get used on a runner.
Bland #3 – An Edge Rusher Gets Added
Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel look like an impressive pair. It’s the rest of the depth chart that leaves a few concerns.
The Vikings will need their defense to take a notable step forward in 2024 if there’s hope for a playoff appearance. Flores did excellent work with less-than-excellent talent last season. Giving the DC a young pass rusher to develop feels like a near certainty.
Bold #3 – Minnesota Makes Seven or Less Picks
The 2022 NFL Draft resulted in ten draft picks for the Vikings. As an encore, the Vikings pulled a half dozen players out of the 2023 NFL Draft. And while there’s some temptation – and merit – to Minnesota seeing the number get large once again, I’ll predict that the number gets trimmed down.
The current pick allotment sits at nine. Putting together a pick package to go land a top-tier passer is a surefire way of bringing the total down, especially since No. 11 and No. 23 would likely need to be involved. Constructing another trade or two to climb up the board would further lessen the overall amount of picks Minnesota uses.
Josh Frey’s 2024 NFL Mock Draft (3.0): The Official Prediction
K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.