Rookie Midseason Review: Darrisaw, Bynum Look Legit

LeeAnn Lowman   |  

Nov 19, 2021

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It is about the middle of the NFL season and that means it’s time for a rookie midseason review. The Minnesota Vikings shared the league-high 11 draft picks with two other teams. Despite having so many, the Vikes are getting them off to a slow start. In Week 1, the Vikings got offensive and/or defensive snaps from only 1 rookie, the least in the league. That rookie was Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Smith-Marsette was only in for 4 snaps and had zero targets. Since Week 1 there are still only two rookies who have received notable playing time.

Most of these rookies have not made much of a pro impact yet. A few have gotten on the field for a special teams play or for a few snaps on either side of the ball. While he has not played much otherwise, it is noteworthy that Kene Nwangwu, the running back from Iowa, had a 98-yard kick return for a touchdown against Baltimore. Of the 11 players drafted this year, there are two rookies who are playing enough to assess.

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Christian Darrisaw

Christian Darrisaw, the remarkable young tackle from Virginia Tech, was widely considered the steal of the draft. His season got off to a slow start when he missed much of pre-season and the first few games with a groin injury. He slowly returned during weeks 4 and 5 rotating with veteran tackle, Rashod Hill. However, in Week 6 he started for the first time against the Carolina Panthers. He played a whopping 89 snaps. Since then he has been perhaps the most solid member of the offensive line. He currently has a PFF grade of 61.3. While that is fairly average for the league, it is the highest grade on the Vikings OL except for Brian O’Neill. Darrisaw holds his own with pass protection and only allowed 4 pressures on Kirk Cousins through 135 passing attempts. First-round picks are usually expected to be able to play at a professional level almost immediately; however, that is not always the case. We are fortunate that Darrisaw has the maturity and awareness to be a benefit to the team already.

Camryn Bynum

Camryn Bynum was chosen in the 4th round and has made a tremendous impact on Zimmer’s blitzing defense. Having another safety that is as disruptive as Bynum has allowed the Vikings to rush from deep, catching offenses off guard. Bynum got his chance to start while Harrison Smith was recovering from Covid but he has earned the right to keep playing alongside his teammate. In just a few games he has 18 tackles, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 2 deflected passes. PFF has given him a 90.5 score. It’s a small sample size, but that number would be tied for first in the NFL. A versatile safety like Bynum is a major asset to our defense and obtaining him in the 4th round appears to be a steal. 

For the remaining rookies, only time will tell. These young players need time to develop and learn the “Viking way.” As for a rookie midseason review of those who are playing, the team gets a solid A- since they’re off to a terrific start!

Skol.

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