B-
Minnesota Vikings
Grand theft in pick 108: the Vikings steal James and grade out a B-.
by wbwychor ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 1 reaches
Somebody in the Round 4 slot was going to get robbed, and it turned out to be the rest of the league. The Vikings sat still while D.J. James, the No. 67 name on the board, slid all the way to them, then sprinted to the podium.
Spending an early pick on cornerback with quarterback, offensive lineman and other spots open is the decision the grade keeps circling back to. They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest.
A workmanlike haul that should hold up just fine.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 11 they get a quarterback's worst nightmare at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
No edge and no loss on T.J. Tampa in pick 42; it is a wash and a sensible one. It adds depth where they could use a little.
They bypassed pressing needs at quarterback, offensive lineman and other spots to take D.J. James, a cornerback that was not the priority.
A slide stopped in the 130th overall pick, with Beau Brade worth more than the price. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A clean, defensible pick in the 148th pick with a little surplus value in Malik Mustapha. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Jaylin Simpson at pick No. 160 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the cornerback. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Chau Smith-Wade in slot 168 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Good price on Zion Tupuola-Fetui in No. 179, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Omar Speights at Round 7, Pick 2 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A minor itch, scratched.
Daequan Hardy at the 230th overall pick is a conviction pick that outran the value. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.