A-
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings worked the phones like thieves and earned a A-.
by isu101 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 13 picks
· 1 steals
· 5 reaches
Whoever sat across the table from the Vikings should ask for a receipt. They cleaned the room out, prying loose far more value than they gave up, and it was the quiet MVP of their weekend. Little to argue with here, and the A- says so.
If Harrell pans out, nobody remembers the price. If not, this is the pick they hear about. The running back hole is the one line item this class does not answer. The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
In the end it comes back to J.J. McCarthy, and a haul good enough to build on right away.
Pick-by-Pick
J.J. McCarthy at the 42nd pick is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They took Jacob Cowing at par in No. 95, which is nothing to complain about. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They jumped the gun on Darius Robinson, taking him earlier than his grade liked. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Cole Bishop in pick 121 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Kris Abrams-Draine is a better player than pick No. 128 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A minor need, but a need all the same.
No drama and no debate, Javon Foster went about where he belonged in Round 4, Pick 30. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They went early on Beaux Limmer in slot 132, and the value did not follow. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Dallin Holker in the Round 5 slot is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Austin Booker in the 160th overall pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
LaDarius Henderson at the 166th pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A big swing on Jaylen Harrell at Round 6, Pick 4, well ahead of any board in the building. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A reach on Nathaniel Watson in pick 223; the board had better options right there. It adds depth where they could use a little.
By-the-book stuff, Marcus Harris at the Round 7 slot squarely in line with his ranking. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.