The Minnesota Vikings Stellar 2015 Draft
LeeAnn Lowman
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The 2015 draft class made it a stellar year for the Minnesota Vikings. They received high marks from most experts but the grade actually increased after a few seasons. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that it was an A+ draft for the Vikings.
| Player | Position | Round/Number | College/University |
| Trae Waynes | CB | 1/11 | Michigan State |
| Eric Kendricks | ILB | 2/45 | UCLA |
| Danielle Hunter | DE | 3/88 | LSU |
| TJ Clemmings | T | 4/110 | Pittsburgh |
| MyCole Pruitt | TE | 5/143 | S. Illinois |
| Stefon Diggs | WR | 5/146 | Maryland |
| Tyrus Thompson | T | 6/185 | Oklahoma |
| BJ Dubose | DE | 6/193 | Louisville |
| Austin Shepherd | T | 7/228 | Alabama |
| Edmond Robinson | OLB | 7/232 | Newberry |
Grading Factors
Like most drafts, the 2015 draft was full of some exceptional players and a few busts. It also included its share of surprises. When you break the draft down player-by-player it’s not hard to see why this became such a stellar year for the Minnesota Vikings.
Trae Waynes
Waynes wasn’t the elite player the Vikings hoped he would be. If they knew then what they know now they would surely have picked a different player. He certainly did not add as much value to the team as later picks. He had a few decent seasons before signing with the Bengals. The Bengals paid relatively big money for Waynes who has underproduced and been injured quite a bit.
Eric Kendricks
Things really began to look up in Round 2 with the selection of Kendricks. He is still a significant contributor to the Viking defense. He has had 100+ tackles every season except his first one. Kendricks was an All Pro in 2019. He is a solid leader for the purple and gold.
Danielle Hunter
Hunter is another 2015 draftee who is still on the Vikings roster. He was a true steal in the 3rd round. During his 6 seasons, he has had 60.5 sacks and 314 combined tackles. Hunter suffered serious, season-ending injuries in 2020 and 2021. Hunter has said that his rehabilitation is going very well. He expects to be back at full strength this season. If that happens he will assist the Vikings in developing one of the best pass-rushing defenses in the NFL.
Stefon Diggs
Diggs was a remarkable 5th-round pick. He was truly one of those late-round diamonds in the rough. In his rookie season, he had 52 catches for 720 yards and 4 touchdowns and his skills only improved. Diggs continued to excel, becoming one of the premier receivers in the NFL. However, Diggs was traded in 2020 to Buffalo for 4 draft picks including a 2021 first-round pick. That 2021 pick was used to select Justin Jefferson, who has been wildly successful for Minnesota.
A Final Grade
The hindsight grade of an A+ comes from a variety of factors. No one expects every draft pick to soar. When a team has 3 or more successful picks it is a good draft. This is especially true when 3 of them are Pro Bowl-caliber players like Hunter, Diggs, and Kendricks.
When you get a player like Diggs in the 5th round and then are able to trade him for multiple future picks including a 1st rounder, it is a huge win. The Vikings actually came out ahead in that trade with Jefferson being a higher-performing receiver compared to Diggs.
As we are firmly in the midst of the 2022 NFL draft the Vikings will always have years like 2015 in the back of their mind. The hope is for the team to maximize the picks they have.
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