How the Vikings draft would've been different if Rick Spielman was still GM

How the Vikings draft would’ve been different if Rick Spielman was still GM

By Nik Edlund | May 7, 2022

TALLAHASSEE, FL - SEPTEMBER 5: Safety Kyle Hamilton #14 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during warm-ups before the start of the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field on September 5, 2021 in Tallahassee, Florida. The Fighting Irish defeated the Seminoles 41 to 38 OT. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /

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Andrew Booth Jr. (Kupferman/Getty Images) /

The Vikings wouldn’t have landed Andrew Booth Jr.

Assuming and probably rightfully so, that Rick Spielman would’ve stayed at pick 12 and grabbed Kyle Hamilton, it is also safe to guess he wouldn’t have been aggressive and moved back up into round 2 to grab Andrew Booth Jr.

Rick Spielman had a tendency to overvalue draft picks. He didn’t want to give any up and had a tendency to accumulate more if possible. It’s very hard to see him being the aggressor and package a deal that included giving away extra picks to move up and address the Vikings’ biggest area of need with a player who really shouldn’t have still been on the board.

With Spielman in charge, the Vikings would’ve stayed at pick 46 and let the board fall to them. If that were the case, the best they could’ve hoped for at that spot would’ve been a couple of wide receivers in George Pickens or Alec Pierce or maybe tight end Trey McBride.

Instead of addressing a primary need like cornerback, Rick Spielman’s recent history suggests he would’ve ridden the board, took the best player available, and looked to upgrade the Vikings’ biggest hole in the next round.

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