Vikings top draft pick not selected for 2022 all-rookie team

There wasn’t a lot of love for Minnesota Vikings rookie Lewis Cine when CBS Sports released a projection of the 2022 all-rookie team.

It is hard to know how a draft pick’s rookie season will go. It is even harder to figure out if a player will have a successful career in the NFL after being drafted by a team like the Minnesota Vikings. That is the gamble involved with the draft.

Despite that uncertainty, fans, analysts and teams will often try to figure out which prospects will flourish and who will flounder. Recently, NFL.com Draft Analyst Chad Reuter put together his early projection for an all-rookie team, and Vikings fans likely won’t like it too much.

Strangely enough, the safeties chosen for this team aren’t the ones most would expect to be included. Let’s take a look at these selections.

Who was chosen over Minnesota Vikings safety Lewis Cine?

The most hyped safety coming into the draft was Kyle Hamilton, who was selected by the Ravens at pick No. 14 overall. Next, Daxton Hill was picked by the Bengals at No. 31 overall. Finally, with the last pick in the first round, Minnesota took Lewis Cine.

Interestingly enough, none of those safeties were picked. Instead, Reuter went with Jaquan Brisker of the Bears (pick 48 overall) and Jalen Pitre (pick 37 overall).

Brisker and Pitre could go on to be excellent safeties in the NFL, but it is interesting that none of the three first-round picks were included, especially since Cine is expected to have a starting role as a rookie and has earned high praise from head coach Kevin O’Connell and Minnesota’s coaching staff.

Once these players actually take a football field, it will be easier to see who will rise to become the top of the crop among rookie safeties. In the meantime, this is more bulletin board material to motivate the Minnesota Vikings’ first-rounder.