Vikings Bet on a Physical Freak on Saturday
On the first day of the draft, the Minnesota Vikings ended up with top guard Donovan Jackson. The Ohio State standout completes the overhaul of the interior offensive line and is viewed as a pro-ready player. A day later, Tai Felton joined the club with the final pick of the third round. He might need some coaching, but his physical tools are intriguing.
Vikings Bet on a Physical Freak on Saturday
That pretty much also sums up the third selection. With the first pick in the fifth round, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah selected defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.
The Georgia defender didn’t have much production on Georgia’s stacked defensive line, but his athletic ability is exciting.
Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling reported on social media, “The Vikings are taking Georgia defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins with their first fifth-round pick. They’d hosted him on a top-30 visit, after he’d posted the fastest 10-yard split (1.69 seconds) among defensive tackles at the combine.”
Ingram-Dawkins was part of two title-winning squads. A former teammate of 2022 first-rounder Lewis Cine appeared in 37 games for the Bulldogs, making 39 tackles and four sacks.
The Draft Network’s Ryan Fowler noted, “Vikings potentially got a steal in Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. This kid can flat out PLAY. Elite athletic profile that only improved as the year went on for Georgia. All the tools to become a high impact player with plus bend and explosiveness. Still learning to put it all together, but if the lightbulb clicks, he’ll outplay his draft slot quickly.”
Indeed, his athletic profile is probably something defensive coordinator Brian Flores salivated over. Ingram-Dawkins ran a speedy 40-yard dash of 4.86 seconds with elite 10-yard and 20-yard splits. He also produced elite short-shuttle and three-cone times, as well as phenomenal jumps.
Potential Role
Ingram-Dawkins is an undersized player for an interior defender, but he could be a sweet rotational guy on passing downs. The Vikings allowed edge rusher Jihad Ward to leave the building, and he held that role last season. It should be noted, though, that Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen were signed with the intention to get after the QB.
However, both are north of the notable 30-year mark, and successors need to be found sooner rather than later. With some coaching and development, Ingram-Dawkins could turn into a nice contributor for the Vikes.
The defender was asked about his role at the next level and whether he could be a three-down player. He responded confidently, “I feel like I provide a lot of value when stopping the run on first and second down. You can put me at the five-technique [position], at defensive end, or even the wide-nine. I feel like I can set that edge on early downs. I want to kill a drive early.”
“When it comes to third down, you can line me up anywhere and I can rush the passer. You can line me up the middle anywhere from zero-tech to three-technique. I can play that five-tech and wide-nine. From first to third down, I know I can provide value in the run game and rushing the passer.”
Competition
The Vikings now have nine defensive linemen under contract.
- Jonathan Allen
- Harrison Phillips
- Javon Hargrave
- Jalen Redmond
- Taki Taimani
- Levi Drake Rodriguez
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
- Jonathan Harris
- Travis Bell
Mostly, teams keep six players at the position. The first three names are safe. Behind them, the Vikings have last year’s breakout defender Jalen Redmond and run-stuffing nose tackle Taki Taimani. Levi Drake Rodriguez could be the rookie’s main competitor. Rodriguez is coming off a redshirt year.
The Vikings wouldn’t have spent significant draft capital to acquire the Georgia defender if Flores didn’t have a vision for him, making him a good bet for a 53-man roster spot.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference CFB helped with this article.
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