Round 7 – Pick 247 overall
Olabisi Johnson, wide receiver – Colorado State
Looking at statistics, it’s a bit curious why Johnson was drafted. He never had more than four touchdowns in a year, but he made his impact felt through moving around spots in the offense and using his explosive speed off the line to get immediate separation. But when you have a 6′ player who can be wily and slippery.
Lacking a true top gear, Johnson won’t be one to draw comparisons to Ted Ginn or other speedsters…however, he should be interesting to see if he can catch on as a possession guy or if the Vikings view him as anything else. Considering NFL.com sees him as a fifth-round value but CBS Sports has him as their 413th best prospect, it’s easy to say that his potential is polarizing.
Grade: C-
Round 7 – Pick 250 overall
Austin Cutting, long snapper – Air Force
This is by far the most baffling choice of the entire draft class. Not only is long snapper not really a need, but it also isn’t a position that often gets drafted at all. That said, picking a player who may need to sit out to fulfill his obligation to the armed forces adds to the head-scratching.
Austin Cutting does check all the boxes. He has the size, strength, and technique to perform the job at a high level, the only question is when he will be allowed to do so since he is tied up for the next two years. NFL.com saw him as a priority free agent while CBS Sports didn’t even bother creating a profile for him.
Grade: D+
As a whole, fans of the Minnesota Vikings should be excited about this draft class. They hit it out of the park with their selections in the first three rounds, each of whom should go a long way in helping the team’s offense match the caliber of the defense, With some other high-potential players in the mix, this could be a draft class which helps advance the team deep into the playoffs.