B+
Minnesota Vikings
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Vikings a B+.
by kgrundseth ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 0 steals
· 2 reaches
There is conviction, and then there is this. The Vikings took DeMonte Capehart a full 45 picks ahead of where the board had him, an overdraft steep enough that it colors the whole weekend. They moved the roster forward and banked a B+ for it.
The trade ledger is the best part of the whole weekend. The tight end spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
Adding Bilal Nichols by trade rounds out the weekend beyond the rookies. The trenches got the money picks, top to bottom.
All told, a solid class that does its job everywhere but tight end.
Pick-by-Pick
In the Round 1 slot they get a disruptor off the edge. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
No edge and no loss on J.J. McCarthy in Round 2, Pick 10; it is a wash and a sensible one. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
By-the-book stuff, Ray Davis at pick 108 squarely in line with his ranking. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They paid sticker price for DJ James in pick No. 112, and that is fine. Depth more than a fix, but depth they can use.
A straight-up fair deal on James Williams at the 130th pick, value and slot in agreement. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Javion Cohen in slot 148 is fair value, right on his grade. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Chau Smith-Wade in Round 5, Pick 24 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
They jumped the gun on Jordan Jefferson, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Javon Baker at the 179th overall pick is right where the board had him, plain and simple. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
They left a pile of value on the table to take DeMonte Capehart this early at the 230th pick. It fills a real need, too.