Fourth-Round Pick (134th Overall)
Jay Ward - S (LSU)
2023 Stats:
- 8 tackles
- 1 fumble recovery
The Vikings took former LSU safety Jay Ward with their fourth-round choice in 2023.
He was primarily a special teams player in 2023, and unfortunately, he was one who made some costly penalties that put points on the board for multiple Minnesota opponents.
He saw a little more action on defense late in the season and looked a little better.
That being said, Ward wasn't overly impressive, and his future with the Vikings is up in the air at this point.
Production Grade: F
Potential Grade: C
Fifth-Round Pick No. 1 (141st Overall)
Jaquelin Roy - DT (LSU)
2023 Stats:
- 8 tackles (1 for a loss)
Minnesota used their first fifth-round pick in 2023 to beef up their defensive line with former LSU defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy.
He was brought along fairly slowly and ended up making a minimal impact in year one.
He did suffer an ankle injury that kept him out a couple of games. But when he was healthy, he did put a few nice plays on tape, showing why the Vikings used an early Day 3 pick in 2023 to grab him.
Currently, Minnesota's defensive line isn't especially deep. Jonathan Bullard and James Lynch are both free agents, and Roy could be asked to be a much more prominent part of the rotation in year two.
But that will only happen if he shows improvement during training camp this summer, and there's plenty of reason to believe he can do just that.
Production Grade: D
Potential Grade: B