Kevin O’Connell Was Literally Dreaming About Adding 1 Player
The Minnesota Vikings have had a fun offseason, considering all the new guys who have been signed. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah once again knocked free agency out of the park, as various prominent newcomers joined the club.
Kevin O’Connell Was Literally Dreaming About Adding 1 Player
Just as important is to find some contributors in the draft, and hopefully, some long-term assets as well.
The Vikings released their annual draft mini-film. First-rounder Donovan Jackson and the process ahead of the pick, of course, played a big role in the documentary.
The video shows Adofo-Mensah on the phone saying, “I might also just stay and pick.” On the other end of the call might have been another GM who wanted to trade for the 24th overall pick.
After hanging up, he turned to head coach Kevin O’Connell and senior VP Ryan Grigson, pointing presumably at a board with the trade offer(s), saying: “If it’s Donovan or that, we talked about these scenarios, but I just want to come back to you guys all beforehand and say same page or if you want to take the risk and go back.”
That indicates Minnesota’s intention to draft Jackson wasn’t a spontaneous decision whatsoever and was likely the plan all along. Once the Vikes were on the clock, Adofo-Mensah wanted to check in with his wingmen whether they would pick the offensive guard out of Ohio State or prefer a trade, which risks losing him to another team. Adofo-Mensah later added, “If we go back, you got to treat it like he’s not going to be there.”
It’s unlikely that Jackson would’ve been available later in the draft. The Texans were next on the clock, and their starting guard entering the draft was Ed Ingram, who the Vikings gladly shipped there.
In another scene, O’Connell said to Adofo-Mensah, “I had a dream last night we drafted him.”
Unless the Vikings’ media team used some shady cutting techniques, they talked about Jackson.
That Jackson was clearly their guy becomes more evident in another scene, when a nervous Adofo-Mensah says, “There’s a chance the Packers take Donovan. That’s like the big risk, so we just got to be ready.”
The Packers were slotted right ahead of the Vikings and selected Matthew Golden, a wideout, to end the WR drought. The Vikings then went ahead and snapped their own drought. Randall McDaniel, in 1988, was Minnesota’s last first-round guard.
After Adofo-Mensah sent the pick in, he put college scout Jake Essler on the spot, who described the newest Viking: “Donovan is a great kid, awesome to be around. He was up here for [the] top-30 [visit] and I think he’s gonna fit the locker room really well. As a player, this guy is a three-year starter at left guard, had to move to left tackle this year. He’s big, tough, strong. He’s gonna fit in really well.”
O’Connell declared in a video the Vikings released a few weeks ago that was part of the documentary: “Very excited to welcome him to the Minnesota Vikings. What are we getting? We’re getting a big, strong, physical player that comes from a national championship team. Started over 40 games at Ohio State, [he is] incredibly fitting for the group we’ve put together on the offensive line.”
That group will be fun to monitor throughout the offseason and when the bullets start flying in the regular season. On the outside, the Vikings have been set with Brian O’Neill and Christian Darrisaw, but the group’s interior has left a lot to be desired.
For the first time in a while, the Vikings have done whatever it takes to fix the issue. Ryan Kelly and Will Fries were hired in free agency, and Jackson in the draft. Young quarterback J.J. McCarthy should enjoy the best protection the Vikings have had in a long time.
The video also features a short statement from the rookie: “The team culture with the Vikings, I’ve heard, is very tight-knit, very disciplined, and it’s a culture that I’m blessed to be a part of. I’m just looking forward to getting to work with everybody.”
Jackson is 22 years old and has all the tools to be a long-term starter at the left guard position. He will compete with Blake Brandel, last year’s starter at that spot, at first, but will get every opportunity to win the competition.
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