Ex-Vikings GM Rick Spielman: DeWayne McBride Could Be 'Steal of the Draft'
Former Vikings general manager Rick Spielman, now an analyst for CBS Sports, believes his old team may have found one of the steals of the 2023 NFL Draft in its final round.
Discussing the AFC and NFC North teams' drafts on the With The First Pick podcast, Spielman had a lot of praise for new Vikings running back DeWayne McBride.
"Probably the steal of the draft could potentially be McBride," he said. "The only issues with McBride, there were some off-field concerns I believe, but nothing that I heard that (put him) off teams' boards. But the biggest issue with him was he ... only caught (2) passes last year. Don't know what his hands are, but he's a big, physical back with excellent vision that's always going forward. Very productive as a runner."
Off-the-field issues aren't something that's been reported about McBride, nor something the Vikings have mentioned at any point. There are real concerns about his inexperience as a pass-catcher and blocker, as well as fumbling issues and a lack of elite long speed. Those are all reasons why he was available in the seventh round.
At the same time, McBride has a chance to be a steal because of how dynamic and efficient he is as a runner. He piled up over 1,700 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season, averaging 7.4 yards per carry. McBride's contact balance, agility, and vision are all very strong traits that could allow him to become a quality NFL running back. If Dalvin Cook does end up getting traded or released, McBride will compete with Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler for reps in a committee at RB.
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