Inside The Vikings

Vikings Sign RB DeWayne McBride, Completing 2023 Draft Class

All seven members of the Vikings' draft class have now signed their rookie contract.
Will Ragatz|
Vikings Sign RB DeWayne McBride, Completing 2023 Draft Class
Vikings Sign RB DeWayne McBride, Completing 2023 Draft Class

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Minnesota Vikings

The sixth and final pick of the Vikings' 2023 draft class has now become the sixth and final member of that group to sign their rookie contract. Running back DeWayne McBride, a seventh-round pick (No. 222 overall) out of UAB, has signed his rookie deal, meaning all of this year's Vikings draft picks are now officially under contract.

Rookie contracts are mostly pre-determined by the player's draft slot, but there are some aspects that need to be negotiated, which is why some players sign earlier than others.

McBride has serious sleeper potential as a seventh-round pick. If there's any position where you can find instant contributors that late in the draft, it's probably running back, and this guy has the talent to possibly earn NFL snaps early in his career. Last season, he led the NCAA FBS in rushing yards per game by a wide margin, averaging 155.7 per contest on his way to 1,713 yards in 11 games. His 19 rushing TDs tied him for third.

Obviously, there were a few reasons why he was available in the seventh round. McBride doesn't have elite long speed, he had fumbling issues in college, and he caught a grand total of five passes during his time at UAB. But he was arguably one of the better pure runners in this year's draft, with tape that shows incredible vision, lateral agility, and contact balance. He knows how to hit holes and is not easy to bring down. The Vikings also believe he has more upside as a receiver and pass protector than he may have shown.

McBride dealt with a hamstring injury this offseason that kept him from doing athletic testing. It also kept him out of the Vikings' early practices, but he was out there on Tuesday with his teammates. He'll be competing with the likes of Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu for reps behind Alexander Mattison, assuming Dalvin Cook eventually ends up elsewhere.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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