NFL.com Ranks Vikings' 2023 Draft Class as League's Worst

There are a wide range of opinions regarding the Minnesota Vikings' 2023 draft class.

Some analysts loved it, some hated it. Most seemed to give the Vikings a grade in the 'B' range. A couple anonymous NFL executives, quoted in The Athletic, were big fans of what GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company pulled off. A defensive coordinator who coached against Jordan Addison in the Pac-12 is skeptical of the Vikings' top pick and his outlook at the next level.

Whether you like or dislike Minnesota's draft mostly comes down to how you feel about Addison — who was their only selection in the top 100 — and some of the other options who were still available when they made that pick at No. 23 overall. And with just six total picks, if you weren't a fan of the Vikings' three-player defensive run (CB Mekhi Blackmon, CB/S Jay Ward, DT Jaquelin Roy), that will have a big impact too.

Grades and rankings in the immediate aftermath of a draft are mostly meaningless, as no one really knows what these prospects will become. But here's something that will help provide a sense of the national perception of this Vikings class: NFL.com's Eric Edholm ranked Minnesota's haul dead last among all 32 teams.

Here's his explanation:

The Vikings pulled a minor surprise — but hardly a shock — when they took Jordan Addison in Round 1. What made it most interesting was doing so with Maryland CB Deonte Banks still on the board. It's reasonable to think they anticipate second-year CBs Andrew Booth and Akayleb Evans will be healthy enough to contribute, although the Vikes did use their next two picks on the secondary. Addison is a dangerous playmaker who will see clearer paths opposite Justin Jefferson. But can the Pittsburgh/USC product thrive on the outside, or will he be mostly limited to the slot? At 173 pounds, lacking elite speed, Addison must show he can get loose from press-man coverage, but he's a three-level threat with polished route-running skills.

Mekhi Blackmon was a reach in my mind, but he certainly fits the mold of a Brian Flores defender, so I'll reserve judgment a bit. He is a bit older, however, at age 24 — and had some injury issues in college. The Jay Ward pick made a little more sense in that he has safety/slot/outside-corner versatility and is a bit cleaner an evaluation from a health standpoint. Jaquelin Roy is a strong, stout defender with the ability to contribute in a rotation, but his lack of twitch likely keeps him off the field in obvious passing situations.

The Vikings were expected to be in on the quarterbacks, so the Jaren Hall selection wasn't surprising. He also operated in a system with some pro concepts and has the smarts, moxie and athleticism to make it. But Hall is already 25 years old, injury-prone and lacks high-end arm talent. So, while Kirk Cousins is in the last year of his contract, Hall doesn't exactly present a clear succession plan. Minnesota's final pick was by far my favorite, considering where the Vikings got DeWayne McBride. He absolutely has the tackle-breaking skill and surprising wiggle to be a first- and second-down standout, even while it's obvious his ball security (nine fumbles on 525 carries at UAB) and third-down ability (five catches on 10 targets in 30 career games) are well below average.

None of that criticism feels unreasonable. Addison's lack of size is a legitimate concern that he will have to overcome and prove wrong, and you could make an argument that a corner like Banks or Joey Porter Jr. would've been a better pick in the first round given Booth and Evans' injury histories. Blackmon is older and had penalty issues in college. Roy didn't test well, though it's unclear how much that matters for a big defensive tackle. Hall is also older and undersized.

Then again, every single one of the players the Vikings drafted has several traits that give them significant upside in the NFL.

That's the way this works. No one can perfectly predict how prospects' careers will play out, but teams do as much research and preparation as humanly possible, make the picks they think are best, and hope it pans out. And everyone — from other executives to media to fans — gets to react in the moment and offer their own opinion on things. That's why the draft is so fun.

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