After making a trade with the New York Jets, the Minnesota Vikings added a tight end with the 157th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Looking for a bit more firepower on offense for next season, the Minnesota Vikings went out and got themselves a tight end in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After making a trade with the New York Jets that allowed them to move up 10 spots, the Vikings selected Central Michigan tight end Tyler Conklin with the 157th overall pick.
Measurements:
- 6-foot-3
- 254 pounds
2017 Stats:
-
- 35 catches, 504 yards
- 5 touchdowns
Overview:
A former basketball player, Conklin is a tight end whose skills are best utilized in the passing game. His 14.4 yards per catch average in 2017 shows that he can be a sneaky deep threat in the right offense.
Due to him breaking a bone in his foot before the start of last season, Conklin was only able to appear in eight of Central Michigan’s 13 games in 2017. His 38-inch vertical was the second-best among tight ends at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine.
Tyler Conklin’s fit with the Vikings:
A red-zone threat is what Conklin will likely be for Minnesota, at least during the early part of his career. With Kyle Rudolph getting older and his cap hit growing larger, Conklin could be the guy that emerges as the Vikings’ top tight end in the near future.
Minnesota hoped for something similar last year when they drafted Virginia Tech tight end Bucky Hodges in the sixth round. But that didn’t end up working out as Hodges didn’t even make it to the regular season roster.
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There is a chance that Conklin could make an immediate impact for the Vikings’ offense in 2018. However, he will likely spend most of his time on special teams during his first season in Minnesota.