Vikings Catch a Quick Jab for Not Getting “Bang for their Buck”
Maybe the Donovan Jackson pick from the 2025 NFL Draft wasn’t worth it after all.
Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic did a redraft a year after the event, putting teams alongside adjusted selections. Some teams got paired with their actual draft picks; not so with the Vikings. Check out his take on how Minnesota should have gone: “Jackson started every game he played at guard last season and wasn’t bad, but the Vikings could’ve found more bang for their buck. Starks is extremely versatile and proved to be NFL savvy immediately last season.”
Vikings Catch Criticism for 2025 1st-Round Selection
At this stage, Minnesota is used to being criticized for the draft picks. The surprise is that its new LG1 hasn’t often been the focus of criticism.
Opting for a guard in the opening round of a draft can be controversial. Before too long, the guard needs to become excellent. Not good, but fantastic. Jackson showed glimpses of that ability last year, but it was a solid rather than sizzling season. In time, Jackson needs to become a player who demands attention in the All Pro voting.
Starks, though, may have been the better pick.
As per usual, the Baltimore Ravens made a good decision in the draft, opting for the safety at No. 27. Starks went on to have a promising debut season, starting fifteen games within the seventeen that he played. His final stats show 84 tackles to stand alongside 2 interceptions and 4 passes defended. The Vikings could have used some of that production. Note that he soaked up more than 1,000 snaps on defense while then having 145 snaps on specials.
Per the advanced stats on PFR, Starks allowed 60.9% of passes into his coverage to be completed. Each catch averaged an explosive 16.1 yards and there were 2 touchdowns on him, but it was a nice year.
Of note, as well, is that the Ravens shuffled him all over the place. Per PFF, Starks had 618 snaps at free safety. He then had 251 snaps in the box, there were 153 snaps in the slot, there were 34 snaps in along the d-line, and then there were 9 out wide as a corner. The Vikings are among the teams to enjoy shuffling defenders around, so adding Starks would have made at least some sense.
Now, that’s a decent amount of digital ink to spill on a hypothetical. Plus, there’s a basic reality: Jackson may end up being the correct decision.
Jackson is on a trajectory that suggests he’ll become a very good player. The Vikings are working with a young lad who had to shuffle to left tackle in his final college season (he was an injury fill-in). A team-first player, Jackson got put back to his natural position as a Vikings rookie, wisely allowed to settle into his normal on-field home.
At various points in the year, the rookie showed off good movement abilities, toughness, and compete. Seeing him become a team captain someday won’t be at all surprising. He battled through a tough wrist injury, playing despite needing surgery.
Part of what makes the assessment on The Athletic a touch more bleak is that Donovan Jackson isn’t included in the 1st Round. The after-the-fact mock sees the Ohio State large lad fall out of the opening round altogether, suggesting that the Vikings may have reached (at least in the mind of some).
Jackson’s debut season in the NFL shows 2 sacks, 5 hits, and 26 pressures on his report card. He was guilty of 4 penalties, too.
A single season of football is not enough to truly judge a draft class. What’s certain is that Minnesota did pick a promising player, but there is work to do if the goal is to fully silence all doubts about opting for Mr. Jackson so high.
