Grading every pick the Minnesota Vikings made in the 2023 NFL Draft

Minnesota Vikings Fifth-Round Pick No. 1 in the 2023 NFL Draft

Jaquelin Roy - DT, LSU (Pick No. 141)

The Vikings traded back up in the fifth round and finally addressed their defensive line by taking big Jaquelin Roy out of LSU.

During his tenure in the SEC, Roy showed the ability to penetrate and get into the opponent's backfields, using his quick burst off the ball.

He racked up 13.5 tackles for a loss at LSU with four sacks. He's big enough to line up at nose tackle and eat up space, but he also has the quickness to move outside to end.

Roy only started one season, but he still appeared in over 30 collegiate games. He's got a great motor, he is a player that has improved every single season, and he's someone who many believe has his best football ahead of him.

Roy fell to the fifth round after a poor Scouting Combine workout and he followed it up with another lackluster performance at his Pro Day. He's got plenty of skills to be excited about, and his frame is one that could still support more weight if the team decides to turn him exclusively into a nose tackle.

It was a relief to see Minnesota improve their defensive front line and the fact they gave up a pick to move up and get Roy shows how highly they think of him.

GRADE: A-