The Top 10 Offensive Rookies the Vikings Will Face in 2020
In the weeks following the 2020 NFL Draft in late April, there has been endless discussion and analysis of the rookies the Vikings added to their roster. That will continue throughout the rest of the offseason, but with last week's schedule release still fresh in our minds, let's take a second to preview the best rookies the Vikings will play against this season. We start this two-part series with the offensive side of the ball.
An important thing to note is that this list will focus on players who are projected starters in 2020 and thus will play major roles against the Vikings barring injury. That's why you won't see the Packers' Jordan Love or AJ Dillon on here.
1. Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb
- College: Oklahoma
- Pick: 17
- Plays Vikings: Week 11 in Minneapolis
The Cowboys didn't enter the draft with a major need at wide receiver; they already had one of the league's better duos in Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. But when Lamb inexplicably fell to them at 17, he was too good to pass up. He has pretty much everything you want in a WR prospect: size, hands, speed, yards-after-catch ability. Lamb is an immediate upgrade from Randall Cobb at WR3 in Dallas and might give the Vikings' young corners – including fellow first rounder Jeff Gladney, who he squared off against in the Big 12 – some problems at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Read: Early Game-By-Game Record Prediction for the 2020 Vikings
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers RT Tristan Wirfs
- College: Iowa
- Pick: 13
- Plays Vikings: Week 14 in Tampa Bay
With the top three offensive tackles off the board, the Bucs traded up one spot to ensure they landed Wirfs. He'll step in as their Day 1 starter at right tackle and will have an important role protecting new quarterback Tom Brady. Wirfs is a freakish athlete who posted 98th or 99th-percentile OL scores in the vertical jump, broad jump, and 40-yard dash while weighing in at 320 pounds. The sky is the limit for the Iowa product, but with Tampa Bay in win-now mode, they'll hope he can make a quick transition to the NFL level. Whether it's Danielle Hunter or Ifeadi Odenigbo lining up across from Wirfs late in the season, that will be an exciting matchup to watch.
3. Detroit Lions RB D'Andre Swift
- College: Georgia
- Pick: 35
- Plays Vikings: Week 9 in Minneapolis, Week 17 in Detroit
The Lions got a first-round talent and one of the best running backs in the 2020 class with their second-round pick. Swift is an explosive, powerful back with excellent vision who some have compared to Vikings star Dalvin Cook. Swift posted consecutive seasons with over 1,300 yards from scrimmage while playing in the SEC. He'll likely take over the No. 1 role in Detroit, but Kerryon Johnson should remain involved. I'd expect Swift and Eric Kendricks to become quite familiar with each other over the coming years.
4. Tennessee Titans RT Isaiah Wilson
- College: Georgia
- Pick: 29
- Plays Vikings: Week 3 in Minneapolis
Wilson's inclusion on this list is based on the projection that he beats out Dennis Kelly for the starting right tackle job in Tennessee. If he doesn't win that training camp battle, Wilson won't have any effect on the Vikings' Week 3 game against the Titans. But given Kelly's history as a career backup, I'd bet Wilson starts right away and is a factor in Minneapolis. The Georgia product is a massive 6'6", 350 pounds with long arms and explosive athleticism. I'd love to watch him face off against Hunter or Odenigbo.
Read: Ranking Every Vikings Game in 2020 From Easiest to Toughest
5. New Orleans Saints RG Cesar Ruiz
- College: Michigan
- Pick: 24
- Plays Vikings: Week 16 in New Orleans
Ruiz wouldn't be on this list if it weren't for a surprising recent cut by the Saints. He was a center in college who can play both guard spots, but his path to a starting role as a rookie was blocked by center Erik McCoy and guards Andrus Peat and Larry Warford. On Friday, the Saints carved out a role for Ruiz by releasing Warford, who had made the Pro Bowl in each of the last three years. Ruiz is a young, highly mobile lineman with a ton of potential. His matchup against whoever is playing three-technique for the Vikings in Week 16 will be a fun one.
6. Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr.
- College: USC
- Pick: 34
- Plays Vikings: Week 2 in Indianapolis
The Colts didn't have a first-round pick, but they landed a potential star at the start of the second round. Pittman was highly productive at USC, especially during a senior season in which he joined Lamb and LSU's JaMarr Chase as finalists for the Biletnikoff Award. At 6'4", he fits the mold of the big-bodied receiver that new Colts QB Philip Rivers has had success with in the past (Mike Williams, Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd). The Vikings are going to have to figure out their approach against taller, physical receivers like Pittman and Seattle's DK Metcalf. Mike Hughes and Jeff Gladney are both 5'10". Cameron Dantzler is 6'2", but he's rail thin at 190 pounds. The best physical matchup is Holton Hill at 6'2", 201, but is he ready to take on those players?
7. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor
- College: Wisconsin
- Pick: 44
- Plays Vikings: Week 2 in Indianapolis
Ten picks after taking Pittman, the Colts added another big-time playmaker to their offense. Taylor had an absurdly productive career at Wisconsin, racking up over 6,100 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns in just three seasons. He's sixth on the all-time NCAA rushing list and would've obliterated Ron Dayne's record had he stayed for his senior year. Taylor also showed off his athleticism at the combine with a 4.39 40 and impressive jumps. He'll be part of a committee with Marlon Mack, but my guess is Taylor gets plenty of carries in Week 2.
8. Chicago Bears TE Cole Kmet
- College: Notre Dame
- Pick: 43
- Plays Vikings: Week 10 in Chicago, Week 15 in Minneapolis
The Bears were another team without a first-round pick, but they still got the best tight end in the draft. At 6'6" and with good athleticism, Kmet is a prototypical prospect who plays a lot like another fellow Notre Dame TE: Kyle Rudolph. The Bears also added Jimmy Graham as a free agent this offseason, so Mike Zimmer and the Vikings will need to account for Chicago having multiple huge tight ends, especially in the red zone.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars WR Laviska Shenault Jr.
- College: Colorado
- Pick: 42
- Plays Vikings: Week 13 in Minneapolis
The Jaguars used their second-rounder to take a chance on Shenault, a first-round talent with some durability concerns based on his injury history. Shenault is a big, well-built receiver who is an electric playmaker with the ball in his hands. He's incredibly tough to tackle in the open field and has plenty of upside as a vertical threat. If he stays healthy, there's no reason why Shenault can't emerge as a starter alongside DJ Chark, even with the Jags also having Dede Westbrook and Chris Conley.
10. Detroit Lions RG Jonah Jackson
- College: Ohio State
- Pick: 75
- Plays Vikings: Week 9 in Minneapolis, Week 17 in Detroit
Jackson may have been taken in the third round, but he could've gone much earlier and will be a Day 1 starter in Detroit. The former OSU star was arguably the best pass-blocking guard in the 2020 draft and also has some decent mobility. As I mentioned when discussing Ruiz, we don't know who will win the Vikings' three-tech job this year. Shamar Stephen is the incumbent, but he offers almost nothing as a pass-rusher and will be pushed by players like Hercules Mata'afa, James Lynch, and Jaleel Johnson. Whoever wins that job is going to see a lot of Jackson this year and beyond.
Honorable Mention
- Seahawks G Damien Lewis
- Falcons G Matt Hennessey
- Buccaneers RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn
- Packers TE/FB Josiah Deguara
- Saints TE Adam Trautman
- Buccaneers WR Tyler Johnson
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