3 Drafted Vikings In Danger of Being Replaced By Undrafted Rookies
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was hired to replace Rick Spielman in the front office. Under Spielman, the Vikings attempted to obtain as many late-round picks as possible to basically have a head start in undrafted free agency. Adofo-Mensah, meanwhile, picks up the checkbook to acquire those guys after the draft.
3 Drafted Vikings In Danger of Being Replaced By Undrafted Rookies
We’re in the Adofo-Mensah era, and that means having an elite UDFA class to celebrate a couple of hours after the conclusion of each draft. A year ago, Bo Richter, Gabriel Murphy, Dwight McGlothern, and Taki Taimani were part of the team’s roster. This time, there are, once again, some intriguing candidates.
Three of them could unseat players with draft pedigrees.
Logan Brown/Walter Rouse
Walter Rouse was drafted last offseason in the sixth round. He had outstanding pass-blocking numbers in his college career but was buried on Minnesota’s depth chart as the fourth tackle behind the two starters and swing backup David Quessenberry. This year, the Vikings hired Justin Skule to replace Quessenberry in his role.
In undrafted free agency, the franchise signed Kansas tackle Logan Brown, who has a much better profile than the usual undrafted rookie. Brown posted impressive numbers in the pre-draft process and has the size to develop into a functioning tackle. His measurements are exceptional.
One major reason for his fall in the draft could’ve been the fact that he got kicked off Wisconsin allegedly for striking a teammate in practice. Last year, the former five-star recruit didn’t allow a single sack, and he has the athleticism to make some noise.
It remains to be seen how they perform in camp and the preseason, but a high-profile UDFA replacing a sixth-round pick isn’t too far-fetched.
Ben Yurosek/Gavin Bartholomew
Speaking of which, at tight end, the Vikings entered the draft with only T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver under contract. Gavin Bartholomew was drafted in the sixth round to replace the departed Johnny Mundt.
Shortly after the final pick, however, the Vikings announced that Georgia’s Ben Yurosek would join, too. He’s another player many thought should’ve been a day-three selection. Yurosek was productive at Stanford prior to his disappointing final college season at the University of Georgia. However, he is a decent blocker, perhaps even better than Bartholomew, who is viewed as more of a pass catcher.
Furthermore, Bartholomew missed some practice time in the spring due to an injury. Arif Hasan’s Consensus Draft Board had Bartholomew at 270 and Yurosek at 266. This could be a matchup to watch.
Tre Stewart/Ty Chandler
The running back room was revamped this offseason. Aaron Jones re-signed with the club, and a few weeks later, the Vikings surprisingly traded for San Francisco’s Jordan Mason.
Ty Chandler remains as the RB3 on the roster as Cam Akers was let go, and the decision-makers didn’t spend a draft pick on a runner. His two competitors are last year’s practice squad player Zavier Scott and the undrafted rookie Tre Stewart.
Stewart’s numbers at Jacksonville State were mind-blowing. He rushed for 1,638 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Granted, Conference USA is undoubtedly not as prestigious as the SEC or the Big Ten.
Regardless, Chandler keeps getting demoted by the coaching staff. He’s already 27 years old, in the final year of his contract, and it might be time for someone else to take the reins as RB3. If Stewart shows some flashes in the preseason, he could easily snatch Chandler’s job.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.