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

Minnesota Vikings Seventh-Round Pick in the 2023 NFL Draft

DeWayne McBride - RB, UAB (Pick No. 222)

The Vikings acquired a seventh-round pick from the trade with the 49ers they made earlier in the draft, and with it, they decided to add to an already crowded running back room by taking UAB's DeWayne McBride.

Like a lot of their draft picks, McBride had a Top 30 visit with the team, and apparently, he made a good impression as Minnesota took him instead of taking an edge rusher, linebacker, or doubling up on a bigger area of need like wide receiver or defensive line.

There's plenty to like about McBride's game. The first thing that sticks out is his production. McBride ran for 1,713 yards and 19 touchdowns last season alone.

He averaged 7.4 yards a carry and he loves feasting between the tackles, utilizing his outstanding vision to find holes. He isn't a burner, but he runs with violence, toughness, and patience.

The only real knocks on him are that he does have some ball security issues and he was never used much in the passing game.

McBride seems to be considered a steal by just about every draft analyst who has handed out grades for the 2023 class. While the value appears to be huge, it's hard to give this pick too high of a mark until Dalvin Cook is traded or cut and the log jam at the position gets a little thinned out.

GRADE: B