B+
Minnesota Vikings
Grand theft in the Round 5 slot: the Vikings steal Hadden and grade out a B+.
by arott23 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 11 picks
· 5 steals
· 1 reaches
Give the war room a raise for the dealing alone. The Vikings came out ahead on every exchange that mattered, and it was not close.
Leaving quarterback unaddressed is the roster risk they will have to answer for in the fall. Landing Hadden that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. Reaching for Nelson left real value on the table behind him.
The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
Add it up and it is a good, unfussy class.
Pick-by-Pick
In pick No. 18 they get a problem off the edge. The biggest hole, addressed.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, T'Vondre Sweat at the 44th pick. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Kris Jenkins slid further than he should have, and the 77th overall pick is lovely value for the edge rusher. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Zak Zinter at No. 112 is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Nazir Stackhouse in slot 115. A need, and now a little less of one.
Good price on Max Melton in Round 4, Pick 27, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. A minor need, but a need all the same.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Smael Mondon Jr.. It adds depth where they could use a little.
A cornerback of that caliber at the 162nd pick is the definition of value, full stop. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
They did well to land Jaylin Simpson in pick No. 165, just ahead of his grade. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
A conviction pick on Jack Nelson at the 179th overall pick that the board grades a round light. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They let Jordan Whittington come to them and pounced at No. 233. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.