Vikings Land One of The “Steals” of NFL Draft
K. Joudry
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The best drafts are the ones that involve the best value. Take the 2015 draft as a great example. Snagging Eric Kendricks in the 2nd, Danielle Hunter in the 3rd, and Stefon Diggs in the 5th is remarkable. If you put the NFL in a time machine, then we’d see all three go in the opening round.
Amid some of the early analysis of the 2022 draft is which teams got the best value. PFF provided one such list. Minnesota is mentioned due to the Andrew Booth Jr. selection at 42nd overall:
Booth was widely thought of as a first-round prospect but fell to Round 2 because of medical concerns. While there’s an argument that this should negate this being a steal, this is still very good value for Minnesota — especially considering that Booth was the seventh corner off the board.
The Clemson product has a scheme-versatile skill set that the Vikings desperately needed in their corner room. While the 21-year-old doesn’t quite have the lockdown numbers as some of the other top corner prospects in this class — he allowed 329 yards across 288 coverage snaps in 2021 — he made up for it down the stretch last season by combining for five interceptions and pass breakups in his final three starts.
He has exceptional feet and receiver-esque ball skills, and he delivered some of the best highlight-reel plays on the ball throughout his time at Clemson.
At this point, Booth hasn’t proven anything. He needs to translate that potential into strong on-field performances.
Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see the Vikings receiving praise far and wide for the move. If everything goes well, Booth will be in the mix for significant defensive snaps in 2022. His ability to be a strong option for Ed Donatell’s group will go a long way in allowing Minnesota to push for a playoff spot.
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