Which picks made by the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL Draft since 2016 have been the best?
Free Agency kicked off this week for the Minnesota Vikings and the rest of the league, which means the NFL Draft isn’t far behind. Teams are currently busy filling some of their roster holes and spending a bunch of money, while others are patiently waiting for the market to settle down a bit.
Things are moving fast and team needs are changing by the minute. It’s been a hoot to keep track of, but sometimes it’s good to take a little break and start thinking about the draft again.
This year’s draft is crucial for the Vikings as they need to land a few starters to help get them back into being a contender in the NFC next season.
Rick Spielman has been a little hit or miss in recent years when it comes to the NFL Draft. But he has been able to land at least one quality player in each of his last five drafts.
Let’s go back in time and look at his best draft choice for Minnesota from each of the last five years. Hopefully, he can land a few more players of this caliber in the 2021 draft that will help push the Vikings over the hump next season.
Mackensie Alexander – CB
The Vikings’ performance in the 2016 NFL Draft was not one of their best. Their first-round pick, Laquon Treadwell, was a huge bust, as was their fourth-round choice, Willie Beavers. They actually did better with their later-round choices and they found a solid player in the second round in cornerback Mackensie Alexander.
Alexander didn’t possess the typical size Mike Zimmer likes in his corners, as he stood just 5-foot-10. He was seen as one of the better press corners in the draft that year and many were surprised when the Vikings were able to land him with the 54th overall pick.
Alexander’s career didn’t get off to a great start. He was used sparingly as a rookie and when he did see the field, he appeared lost and unsure of his assignments. Alexander was also very handsy and he drew plenty of yellow laundry on the field.
The lights did come on for Alexander in year three. He started six games that season and he was used often as a blitzer. He excelled in this role, racking up four sacks.
His coverage was also much better and he broke up 10 passes and tallied 43 tackles. He suffered some injuries in 2019 and ended up signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020.
Picking Alexander wasn’t a slam dunk. Stephen Weatherly was also a consideration with his six sacks and 84 tackles in his Minnesota career. While neither of these picks were overly impressive, they were the best of what was one of the worst Vikings draft classes in recent memory.
Dalvin Cook – RB
This is a no-brainer and easily one of the best overall picks Rick Spielman has made in the last five years. Somehow this dynamic and electric back fell all the way down to the second round where the Vikings snapped him up with the 41st overall pick.
That was one of the greatest heists in draft history. Cook has been an absolute stallion for Minnesota and he has proven he should’ve been drafted much, much higher that year.
Cook’s skills have been well documented. He runs with great vision, patience, power, and he has a top speed that few can match. He’s an excellent pass-catcher out of the backfield and his overall numbers speak to his greatness.
The cat has racked up 3,661 yards on the ground with 33 touchdowns, he’s also added 1,275 yards through the air with an additional three scores. He was playing at an MVP level for a large part of the 2020 season and he is easily one of the most dynamic backs in the entire league.
The only knock on Cook has been his inability to stay healthy as he has yet to put together a full 16 game season. If he’s able to do that, there’s no doubt he’ll lead the league in rushing and it will be by a very wide margin.
Brian O’Neill – OT
Rick Spielman tends to hit home runs in the second rounds of NFL Drafts and did it in 2018 with this big man out of Pittsburgh. The Vikings nabbed Brian O’Neill at the end of the second round and all he did was come in and start 11 games for the team in year one. He’s gone on to start 42 games for Minnesota, quickly becoming the best player on their offensive line.
O’Neill is extremely athletic and can get to the second level in a hurry. He’s also got a great blend of power and balance and can ward off edge rushers using his wide base and lengthy arms.
He rarely allows a sack and can create huge lanes for Cook and company to run through. The guy has been better than advertised and truly doesn’t get the recognition league-wide that he deserves.
While O’Neill likely would’ve been named the best pick from this class regardless, there wasn’t much competition. First-round pick Mike Hughes has been a bust so far as he can’t stay healthy, and the only other bright spot is tight end Tyler Conklin, who could be on the verge of a breakout season with Kyle Rudolph getting released.
Irv Smith Jr. – TE
Rick Spielman struck gold again in the second round back in 2019, when he took tight end Irv Smith Jr. out of Alabama. Smith was viewed as basically a wide receiver in a tight end’s body and he was deemed to be a huge mismatch against any linebackers and safeties that attempt to cover him. For the most part, that has been true.
Smith started his career behind Kyle Rudolph on the depth chart. He racked up 36 receptions on 47 targets in his debut season and found the end zone twice. He upped his touchdowns to five in 2020, and he still caught 30 passes despite missing three games due to an injury. The biggest thing Smith achieved in year two was showing the coaching staff he could be the team’s primary tight end.
Rudolph was lost for a stretch due to an injury and the tight end No. 1 mantle was passed on to Smith. He took over Rudolph’s role as an elite red-zone option and he played so well, Minnesota didn’t miss their longtime safety net, and they realized they could let him go in the offseason, saving some money in the process. Smith has a huge opportunity to really bust out in 2021, as he should see his targets increase exponentially.
Smith’s biggest competition to be the best pick from this draft primarily comes from Garrett Bradbury, though Alexander Mattison also deserves some recognition. Bradbury has started every game of his career so far, but he is still a liability in pass protection, and Mattison, while playing in a part-time role, has lived up to his third-round billing. Those two are decent, but Smith is the crown jewel of this class.
Justin Jefferson – WR
Well, this is an absolute no-brainer. Justin Jefferson has turned out to be the best choice the Vikings have made in a long time and he had a rookie season that topped the one from all-time great, Randy Moss. Speaking of rookie seasons, Jefferson was robbed of his well-deserved Offensive Rookie of the Year title, but he showed the maturity to brush it off, even if fans couldn’t.
Jefferson used his rare blend of speed, route-running ability, toughness, and pure competitive drive to put together one of the greatest rookie campaigns in NFL history. The kid busted out for 88 receptions for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns.
It didn’t take him long to be a favorite and trusted target for Kirk Cousins and he will be the team’s No. 1 option in the passing game moving forward.
Not only did Jefferson bring his play-making ability to the Vikings, but he also brought a ton of excitement and energy. His Griddy dance took the league by storm and just about every player was copying it last season when they scored a touchdown. He was a much-needed breath of fresh air on a roster that was beginning to get a bit stale.
In time Jefferson could have some competition for this title. While it is a long shot to happen, Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney had solid rookie seasons, and they will only get better after playing with Patrick Peterson for a year.
4 players whose time with the 2020 Vikings won’t be remembered
Who are some of the players that didn't deliver a memorable performance during their tenure with the Minnesota Vikings in the 2020 season?
Ezra Cleveland could also challenge Jefferson if he ends up being a long-time starter at left tackle, But the chances of Jefferson always being considered Minnesota’s best pick of the 2020 NFL Draft are almost 100 percent.