Draft Grades For the Vikings' Selections of Ezra Cleveland and Cameron Dantzler
The Vikings were a big winner from Day 1 of the NFL Draft, landing two immediate-impact starters at positions of need in LSU receiver Justin Jefferson and TCU corner Jeff Gladney. I gave both selections an 'A' grade, as did most national analysts. Rick Spielman couldn't quite repeat that performance on Friday night, but he did add two solid players with the potential to be just as valuable as the team's first-round additions.
Spielman was very straightforward about his plans to be aggressive in trading up on Day 2, but that upwards movement never materialized. With Trent Williams talks breaking down, the Vikings knew they wanted to target an offensive tackle with their third pick. So Spielman watched as a pair of talented, scheme-fitting tackles – Boise State's Ezra Cleveland and Houston's Josh Jones – fell further and further. In the end, both slid all the way to 58, so there was no need to make a move. The Vikings went with Cleveland, an ultra-athletic prospect who offers reminders of 2018 second-rounder Brian O'Neill.
In the third round, Spielman did try to trade up but found no takers. Still, he wound up getting a highly intriguing prospect nonetheless. The Vikings double-dipped at corner in the first two days by taking Cameron Dantzler, a lanky and physical player from Mississippi State.
To end the night, Spielman traded back from the 105th pick for a king's ransom and now has roughly 74,000 selections on Day 3.
Let's get to the breakdowns and grades.
Vikings bet on the upside of athletic tackle Ezra Cleveland
By taking Cleveland, the Vikings are betting that they can replicate the success story of O'Neill, who shared some of Cleveland's strengths and question marks when he was drafted 62nd overall two years ago. Like O'Neill coming out of Pitt, Cleveland's athleticism and intelligence make him a perfect fit for the Vikings' zone-blocking scheme, but his lack of play strength and concerns about technique caused him to fall into the late second round. "Felt almost identical when we went through the tape," Spielman said of the comparison between the two. O'Neill took to the Vikings' strength training and coaching quickly and is already one of the better young tackles in the league. Minnesota clearly thinks that Cleveland can follow the same path, but there's a chance that O'Neill is the exception and not the rule.
The first thing that jumps out about Cleveland are his combine numbers. At 6'6", 311, he finished first – by a lot – among offensive linemen in the three-cone and short-shuttle drills, third in the 40, and fifth in the bench press. That movement ability and athleticism at his size is elite and allows him to work blocking angles and climb to the second level with ease. With that said, Cleveland needs a lot of work before he's ready to start at tackle in the NFL. He doesn't play with great strength or anchor ability, and his footwork and technique are a work in progress (it's worth noting that he played through a turf toe injury last season). Cleveland also seems to sometimes be lacking that nastiness you want in an offensive lineman. I see the logic and fit here – and some had him going much higher – but I personally would've preferred to see Jones be the pick at 58. My grade: B-
National analyst grades
- Andy Benoit, Sports Illustrated: C+
- Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports: A-
- Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: A-
- Eric Edholm, Yahoo! Sports: B-
- Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: D
- Connor Rogers, Bleacher Report: C-
- Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report: B
- Steven Ruiz, USA Today: A
- Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball: A
Vikings grab another competitive corner in Cameron Dantzler
With the 89th pick approaching, the Vikings' most obvious remaining need was the defensive line. Perhaps that's what Spielman would've addressed had he been successful in trading up. Alas, the Vikings were stuck at 89, and several talented pass-rushers didn't quite make it there. Florida EDGE Jabari Zuniga went 79th, Oklahoma DT Neville Gallimore 82nd, and Missouri DT Jordan Elliott 88th. Given their options, the Vikings were happy to take their second cornerback in as many days. Dantzler is similar to Gladney in that he's physical and sticky in press coverage, has good ball skills in zone (five career INTs), and plays with a lot of swagger. What's different is that he's four inches taller at 6'2", two years younger, and ran a much slower 40 in Indianapolis.
After losing three corners this offseason, this pick made a lot of sense, and the value of getting Dantzler in the middle of the third round is excellent. He was highly productive in the SEC, allowing just one touchdown and a passer rating of 43.8 over the past two seasons. He's also not afraid to help out in run support. Two things made him fall as far as he did: his rail-thin frame and his slow 40. Dantzler played at 185 pounds in college – though he said Friday he's up to 190 – which is a weight that will get him pushed around at the line of scrimmage by NFL receivers. The 4.64-second 40 is also a serious concern; there's not much of a track record of corners running above 4.6 and panning out in the league. He said the run just didn't go well, and while his 4.38 time from his virtual pro day is impossible to believe, he also doesn't look as slow on film as the combine time suggests he is.
I like this pick a lot. Dantzler's college tape and production are that of a first-rounder; he was the only player last season to shut down the best receiver in the country, LSU's Ja'Marr Chase. I think he has better recovery speed than the 40 time suggests and that his physicality will help him shine in press if he adds muscle to his frame. He also has the size to make a lot of plays on the ball. Perhaps most importantly, Dantzler – like Gladney – is a scrappy player with a competitive edge. "He's another guy that I think plays with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder and wants to go out and prove that he can compete against the best," Spielman said. In Mike Hughes, Holton Hill, Gladney, and Dantzler, the Vikings have four corners under the age of 24 who can compete and grow together. My grade: A-
National analyst grades
- Andy Benoit, Sports Illustrated: B+
- Chris Trapasso, CBS Sports: B+
- Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: A
- Eric Edholm, Yahoo! Sports: B+
- Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: A+
- Connor Rogers, Bleacher Report: B
- Mike Tanier, Bleacher Report: B
- Steven Ruiz, USA Today: B
- Walter Cherepinsky, WalterFootball: A-
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