Redrafting the Minnesota Vikings 2021 rookie class

Sixth-Round Pick

Original Pick: Jaylen Twyman – DT (Pitt)

Redraft Pick: Trey Smith – G (Tennessee)

The Vikings may have hit the jackpot with Jaylen Twyman, but they still don’t know. Twyman was shot multiple times last summer and he missed the 2021 entire season.

The good news is that he’s been training with Aaron Donald, so hopefully, he’s learned a few things. He could compete to be the Vikings’ nose tackle in their new 3-4 front, but like a few other guys on this list, he has to be considered a long shot to crack the final 53.

The Vikings should’ve gone with guard Trey Smith out of Tennessee. Smith was considered to be a Day 2 pick at worst but fell due to concerns about his medical history regarding blood clots in his lungs.

The Kansas City Chiefs rolled the dice on him in the sixth round and are definitely glad they did. Smith came in and played lights out. He started all 17 games and wasn’t just one of the best rookies of the year, he was also one of the best linemen. He was a major reason why the Chiefs’ offensive line was so good in 2021 and looks to be a long-time fixture for them at guard.

The Vikings definitely could’ve used Trey Smith last season. He would’ve been a huge upgrade over Oli Udoh at right guard and would’ve eliminated that need moving forward. Sometimes teams need to take chances in the draft, and Trey Smith is the most recent example of that.