Vikings' 2020 Draft Picks
1. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
1. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
2. Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
3. Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State
4. D.J. Wonnum, Edge, South Carolina4. James Lynch, DT, Baylor
4. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
5. Harrison Hand, CB, Temple
5. K.J. Osborn, WR, Miami (Fla)
6. Blake Brandel, OL, Oregon State
6. Josh Metellus, S, Michigan
7. Kenny Willekes, Edge, Michigan State
7. Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
7. Brian Cole II, S, Mississippi State
7. Kyle Hinton, G, Washburn
Draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Bucky Brooks of the Move the Sticks podcast and NFL Network often talk of "combination picks." I'm can't recall if that's the actual term that they use but it's basically the drafting practice of making a first round selection with the next pick in mind and coming away with the best combination of football players. The Vikings' most significant draft needs were offensive line improvement, cornerback, and receiver. They had three picks in the first two rounds (two in the 1st and one in the 2nd) so it wasn't much of a stretch to think that those picks might be used on those positions. In the run-up to the draft I went through many, many combinations of players with those three picks. Occasionally, a three-technique or Antoine Winfield Jr. would pop up in a scenario but nearly every possible combination had an offensive tackle, a cornerback, and a receiver. The majority of those possibilities were in that order. Offensive tackle and cornerback in the first round and a receiver in the second round. That order was mostly due to this draft overflowing with quality receivers. After sifting through all of the combinations of players, I eventually settled on cornerback Jeff Gladney and a toss-up between offensive tackles Ezra Cleveland and Josh Jones as my ideal first round. Michael Pittman Jr. was my ideal receiver in the second round but I figured that it would take a Day 2 miracle for him to fall to the Vikings. Van Jefferson was probably my next receiver. As much as liked that pass-catching Jefferson there was another Jefferson that I liked more. I didn't expect Justin Jefferson to fall to the Vikings at #22. When that happened, my pre-draft first round ideal fell away. I was thrilled with how the first two rounds played out for the Vikings. It was better than any "realistic" first two rounds that I had imagined. They selected a receiver I didn't expect to get to them. Not only did the Vikings select my hoped for cornerback in the first round but they selected him after trading back with the San Francisco 49ers. With that trade they were able to select Gladney and add a couple Day 3 picks. Those extra picks brought them D.J. Wonnum and K.J. Osborn. The Vikings then selected the offensive tackle in the second round that I hoped they'd select in the first round. Josh Jones was still on the board when Cleveland was selected so there's no question as to which offensive tackle was preferred. The first two rounds were better than any "realistic" first two rounds that I had imagined before the draft.
It's impossible to predict the NFL landscape between now and the hoped-for 2020 season. Still, it wouldn't be a surprise if Justin Jefferson, Jeff Gladney, and Ezra Cleveland are in the starting lineup the next time we see the Vikings play a football game that counts. Jefferson has the talent, the skill, and the polish to make an immediate impact. He should be on the field with Adam Thielen as the team's top two receivers. Transitioning from college to the NFL is always a crap-shoot with cornerbacks. Gladney has NFL-ready competitiveness and toughness. Strangely, I have more confidence in him coming in as a rookie than I would've had in Xavier Rhodes coming back. I believe that Cleveland is the future franchise left tackle for the Vikings. I don't see his path to starting at that position in the first year as clear as the respective paths for Jefferson and Gladney. There's just so much cohesion and continuity needed on the offensive line. Five players with different responsibilities have to work together as one unit. While I really want to see Cleveland starting immediately he doesn't have to do so. Riley Reiff can carry on doing the above average job that he's been doing. He's a good football player and the quiet leader of the offensive line group. Cleveland should not see the field until he's absolutely ready. That being said, the starting offensive line that appeals most to me probably involves Reiff moving to left guard and Cleveland starting at left tackle. I think that puts the team's five best offensive linemen on the field. That has been the stated objective of the coaches and general manager Rick Spielman. I also like a long-time starting left tackle playing next to a rookie left tackle. Again, that's only if Cleveland is ready for the NFL.
The potential early starters added in the draft doesn't end with Jefferson, Gladney, and Cleveland.
There was a time early in the draft evaluation process that I liked Cameron Dantzler as the Vikings' first round pick. Then the Scouting Combine happened. If NFL's decision-makers only had game film to judge Dantzler he probably would've projected as a first round cornerback. Just ask the LSU receivers. Including his new teammate Justin Jefferson. His modest performance in Indianapolis dropped his draft projection to Day 2, at best. It's funny how a barrel of numbers from a single day in shorts can so routinely diminish what a football player has done for years on a football field. I like Dantzler and I think that he can emerge as one of the team's top four cornerbacks. As a rookie.
A fourth-round run of defensive players brought three interesting players to Minnesota. Defensive end D.J. Wonnum, defensive tackle James Lynch, and linebacker Troy Dye. I didn't have much pre-draft knowledge of Wonnum. When he was selected I couldn't help but think of the Vikings' selection of Danielle Hunter in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Both are long, raw, physically freaky pass rushers. I feel that Wonnum is actually more advanced as a defender than Hunter was when he was drafted. Wonnum definitely had more playing experience in college. The Vikings can only hope that the rookie has a similar professional evolution. That would be beautiful. Perhaps Wonnum becomes a situational pass rusher as a rookie. Who knows? I do know that his name is fantastic. Wonnum. Wonnum. Wonnum. There was a quartet of defensive tackles in this draft that were projected by many analysts to be selected anywhere from late in the first round to somewhere in the third round. That quartet was Ross Blacklock, Justin Madubuike, Neville Gallimore, and Jordan Elliott. There was a post-draft rumor that the Vikings had a trade in place to move up in the third round to select Gallimore. It fell through when the Dallas Cowboys grabbed him before it could happen. Jordan Elliott was selected with the pick before the Vikings selected Dantzler. None of that really matters as none of the quartet are in Minnesota now. James Lynch is. His production in his final college season exceeded that of the defensive tackles selected before him. The Vikings have been looking for a long-term answer at three-technique since Kevin Williams left the team after the 2013 season. Sharrif Floyd was supposed to be that guy but sadly a hacked-up surgery robbed him of his NFL career. The Vikings have several intriguing options at defensive tackle in general, and three-technique in particular. Some have primarily run-stopping skills (Shamar Stephen) and others have primarily pass-rushing skills (Jalyn Holmes and Hercules Mata'afa). It'd be nice to have one player that offers a bit (or more) of both. Maybe Lynch can be that player. At the very least, he should be an early factor in the defensive line rotation. It might just be his ginger hair but Lynch reminds me of Chris Hovan. The final fourth-round pick is a player that I could see starting early. Troy Dye. He made plays all over Oregon's defense for four years. He makes plays sideline to sideline. He disrupts things in the offensive backfield. He can cover backs and tight ends down the field. Even if he can't grab the only linebacker position that might be up for grabs he has versatile defensive skills that gives the coaches a lot of options.
It's amazing that at the end of four rounds the Vikings had already selected seven players.
The remaining eight players should provide and strengthen the team's depth. Who knows, maybe a player or two, or more, emerge as starters in the coming years.
The Vikings lost their top three corners this offseason. That resulted in an overhaul of the position in a single offseason.
This is what the Vikings had:
Xavier Rhodes
Trae Waynes
Mackensie Alexander
Mike Hughes
Holton Hill
This is what the Vikings have now:
Mike Hughes
Jeff Gladney
Holton Hill
Cameron Dantzler
Kris Boyd
Harrison Hand
I might be nuts but I prefer what the Vikings have now. Maybe it's just an excitement over the new and unknown. Maybe it's just because of the fact that the Vikings' cornerbacks often struggled last year. I do know that I really like the talent and potential of the young cornerbacks on the roster. I also like that talent and potential combined with the juggling of the defensive coaching staff. That's a juggling that included the hiring of Daronte Jones as the defensive backs coach and Roy Anderson as assistant defensive backs coach. Over the past two seasons it started to feel like the defense, and especially the secondary, had gotten a little stale. It had remained mostly intact for about six years. That's an eternity in the NFL. Something new could be a good thing. Fifth-round pick Harrison Hand is part of that new. He should contribute immediately on special teams and provide versatile depth in the secondary. Undrafted free agent Neville Clarke should also be a factor in the cornerback competition. The Vikings lost a lot of experience at the position but they added a lot of young talent.
K.J. Osborn might able be the favorite to be the Vikings' punt returner. I've seen some in the Vikings community say and write that his shot at a roster spot is slight because he needs to provide more than just returning punts. Well, Marcus Sherels was a roster mainstay for years just for his talents as a punt returner. I think that Osborn can be more than just a punt returner.
Blake Brandel and Kyle Hinton will compete for backup offensive line spots. I really like the potential of Hinton.
Prior to the draft, Harrison Smith and Anthony Harris were the only safeties on the roster. Roster opportunities are there for Josh Metellus and Brian Cole II.
I was very surprised to see Kenny Willekes still available in the seventh round. I thought that he'd be a fine Vikings target. In the fourth round! Shows how much I know about this drafting thing.
I wasn't surprised that the Vikings drafted a quarterback. I was a little surprised that they waited until the seventh round to do so. I circled the fifth round as the round to take a swing at a developmental quarterback. Nate Stanley will duke it out with Sean Mannion and Jake Browning to back up Kirk Cousins. More accurately, Stanley will duke it out with Browning for the opportunity to be the Vikings' developmental quarterback.
So, that's a look at the Vikings' Draft. A week later.
I can't wait to see the team and all the rookies on a football field together.
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