It Really Doesn't Look Good For the Vikings' 2022 Draft Class
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first draft class as the Vikings' general manager is on track to go down as an all-time dud. That may seem like an extreme statement after just 17 months, but it's already difficult to envision a scenario where the 2022 class turns things around and becomes even average.
First-round pick Lewis Cine — who is fully recovered from the serious leg injury that ruined his rookie season — is buried on the depth chart as the Vikings' fifth safety. When Josh Metellus left last Thursday's game against the Eagles, it was Theo Jackson who came into the game alongside Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum. Jackson was a Titans sixth-round pick in 2022 who the Vikings poached off Tennessee's practice squad last October. He was drafted a full 172 picks after Cine.
"Where we sit right now, we just feel like Theo is gonna be the next guy in," defensive coordinator Brian Flores said on Thursday. "And I think Theo has earned that. So we'll continue to go that way."
Hindsight is 20/20, but what makes the Cine pick look even worse is that the Vikings traded down from 12 to 32 to take him, passing on players like Kyle Hamilton, Jordan Davis, and Trent McDuffie in the process.
Second-round pick Andrew Booth Jr., like Cine, has only played on special teams this season. The Vikings have only given snaps to three cornerbacks: Byron Murphy Jr., Akayleb Evans, and rookie Mekhi Blackmon. Booth has struggled to stay healthy during his time in the NFL — which was a known concern when he was coming out of Clemson — and is now CB4 at best despite being healthy.
Cine and Booth still have some theoretical upside because of their age and athleticism, but there hasn't been much evidence that they're likely to get there.
Third-round pick Brian Asamoah is in a similar boat, though he has at least played 16 defensive snaps this season. Asamoah made a splash play against the Giants late in his rookie season and seemed primed for a potential breakout year, but he got injured during training camp and watched undrafted rookie sensation Ivan Pace Jr. take his starting spot. It doesn't look like Pace will be giving it back anytime soon.
The one member of the '22 class who has been a starter since Day 1 is second-round pick Ed Ingram, and that has been a disaster. Ingram allowed more pressures than any other offensive lineman in the league as a rookie and killed two plays by inadvertently stepping on Kirk Cousins' foot. He hasn't been much better this season, surrendering seven pressures and four QB hits in two weeks. Ingram also caused a turnover by knocking the ball out of Cousins' grasp on an attempted pitch play in Week 1. The Vikings just signed veteran Dalton Risner this week, so Ingram's time as a starter could soon be coming to an end.
All four of those players were taken within the top 66 picks last year.
Easily the most promising member of the 2022 draft class is Evans, a fourth-round pick who has emerged as a starting corner this year. He showed some flashes as a rookie, but dealt with concussion issues that kept him off the field. Evans is off to a solid start to his second season.
As for the late-round picks, it doesn't look likely that any of them become impact players in Minnesota. Esezi Otomewo was cut and is now on the Jaguars' practice squad. Vederian Lowe was traded to the Patriots. With the Vikings trading for Cam Akers, Ty Chandler is presumably the third-string running back again. Nick Muse is TE4 and on the practice squad. Jalen Nailor might be the most promising player drafted in the final three rounds last year, but he's now on injured reserve.
Ironically, one of the Vikings' most important second-year players is Ryan Wright, an undrafted free agent who has emerged as a quality punter.
It's a bleak situation. It's also just one draft, so it shouldn't serve as a total referendum on Adofo-Mensah as a GM. On the bright side, his T.J. Hockenson trade was a great move and this year's rookie class — led by Jordan Addison, Mekhi Blackmon, and Ivan Pace Jr. — is off to an excellent start. Ultimately, he'll be judged on his ability to figure out the quarterback situation long-term.
Adofo-Mensah probably wishes he had several do-overs from his first draft, but all the Vikings can do now is move forward without expecting much from the non-Evans members of the 2022 class.
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