Wyatt Davis and Other 2021 Vikings Draft Picks Who Could Take a Second-Year Leap

Davis didn't see an offensive snap as a rookie, but there's still reason to believe in his long-term outlook.

The Vikings selected four players in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft thanks to a trade that saw the Jets send two thirds to move up nine spots in the first round. At the time, it looked like a haul. Minnesota landed a developmental quarterback prospect in Kellen Mond, an ultra-athletic linebacker in Chazz Surratt, a high-floor guard in Wyatt Davis, and a productive defensive end in Patrick Jones II.

Then the season came and went, and that quartet of players combined for just 102 snaps from scrimmage. 99 of those came from Jones and three from Mond, as neither Davis nor Surratt saw a single offensive or defensive snap during their rookie seasons.

There are a variety of possible reasons why that happened. Mond and Surratt were raw prospects who were always going to need plenty of development. Mike Zimmer has been famously reluctant to play rookies, so that may have contributed as well. And it's also entirely possible that Rick Spielman and company simply whiffed on most or all of those selections.

But it's far too early to declare any 2021 draftee a bust just yet. Let's take a look at several Vikings who could take a second-year leap, highlighted by one of those third-rounders.

Wyatt Davis

When the Vikings landed Davis with the 86th overall pick, it seemed like a steal. The Vikings needed a guard, and the two-time first-team All-American was not only a great fit for their zone blocking scheme, he would also bring some much-needed power to their offensive line. There were certainly reasons why Davis fell to the third round, but one assumed he'd have a pretty good chance to see the field right away at right guard because of the Vikings' lack of proven options at that position.

Instead, he never played a snap on offense. Dakota Dozier and Oli Udoh were clearly ahead of Davis throughout all of training camp, with Udoh winning the starting job at RG. When Udoh needed to slide over to left tackle for a few games late in the season with Christian Darrisaw injured, it was Mason Cole who filled in at RG. It was clear that the Vikings' coaching staff didn't view Davis as an option for playing time as a rookie.

Will year two be different? With a new coaching staff that includes head coach Kevin O'Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips, and offensive line coach Chris Kuper, maybe it will be. Davis has a clean slate to work with, and he's apparently working hard this offseason — including spending over a month in Dallas working with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather — to get ready to compete for a starting spot.

"I wanted to help contribute and I didn’t have the opportunity to do so, which is why I’m making sure that doesn’t happen again," Davis told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “I’m just doing everything I can to put me in a position to help my team win. Once that opportunity comes, I’m going to take it and never look back. So I’m just trying to do everything in my power right now to put me in a spot to do so."

Depending on the other moves new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah makes to upgrade the interior of the offensive line, Davis could have a shot at earning the starting RG job if he makes a strong impression during offseason workouts and training camp.

Christian Darrisaw

The Vikings' first-round pick last year was also their most productive and promising rookie. Darrisaw missed much of the offseason and start to the season while recovering from surgery. He made his NFL debut in Week 5 and wound up starting ten games at left tackle, showing a ton of upside as a run blocker and making strides as a pass protector towards the end of the year. He still has plenty of things to work on, but earning a 71.9 grade from Pro Football Focus as a rookie was a strong start to his career.

For someone like Davis, a second-year breakout would mean seeing the field and playing at a solid level. For Darrisaw, it would mean taking his game to another level and becoming a borderline Pro Bowl-caliber LT. PFF recently tabbed him as one of their top ten second-year breakout candidates across the NFL.

Darrisaw’s NFL career did not start off the way the Vikings had hoped — surgical recovery complications caused him to miss the first four weeks of the season. While he took his lumps, Darrisaw was a decidedly different player toward the end of the campaign. His five highest-graded games (out of 11) came in his final six games of the season. That’s a pretty clear and encouraging sign of growth heading into 2022.

Darrisaw's physical tools are through the roof. If he can clean up some mistakes and continue to improve his technique, he could be an excellent left tackle for a long time.

Camryn Bynum

The Vikings' standout rookies in 2021 were Darrisaw, Kene Nwangwu (because of two specific plays), and Bynum. The fourth-round pick out of Cal converted from cornerback to safety in the NFL and took full advantage of his opportunity when it presented itself.

When Harrison Smith landed on the COVID list right before the Vikings played the Ravens in Week 9, Bynum was thrust into action. He played all 98 defensive snaps in an overtime loss, recording 11 tackles, a diving interception, and earning a 90 PFF grade while lining up all over the field. The following week against the Chargers, Bynum had a sack and a pass breakup. He didn't see major playing time again until the second half of a Week 17 blowout in Green Bay, but those two games were enough to create plenty of hype for Bynum's future upside.

If Xavier Woods isn't brought back in free agency this year and the Vikings don't go out and add a proven starting safety, Bynum could be in line to start opposite Smith in his second season. That opportunity — plus the skill set we saw in his first taste of NFL action — lands him on this list.

Others: Chazz Surratt, Patrick Jones II, Janarius Robinson, Zach Davidson

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