After 2 Friday Trades, Vikings Draft Coveted CB
Dustin Baker
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The Minnesota Vikings began Round 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft with a trade involving the divisional foe Green Bay Packers.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah traded the 34th overall pick to Green Bay for the 53rd and 59th picks.
Moments later, Adofo-Mensah sent the 53rd, 77th, and 192nd picks to the Indianapolis Colts for the 42nd and 122nd picks. The Vikings hopped back into the 4th Round after the ill-fated Chris Herndon trade from 2021.
Using the 42nd pick from the Colts, Minnesota drafted Andrew Booth Jr. from Clemson.
Booth Jr. was long theorized as a 1st-Rounder — who could’ve even gone to the Vikings with the original 12th pick — but fell into the 2nd Round for unknown reasons. He has a bit of injury history, so perhaps that was the culprit.
The Vikings welcome Booth Jr. to the CB room, joining Patrick Peterson, Cameron Dantzler, Chandon Sullivan, Nate Hairston, and others.
The Draft Network noted Booth Jr. “offers an exciting blend of size, athleticism, instincts, physicality, ball skills, and competitive toughness that give him the makeup of an impact starter at the next level.”
ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranked Booth Jr. as the draft class’ third-best cornerback.
Overall, the Clemson alumnus was often classified as a Top 25 prospect.
And he fell to the Vikings after two controversial trades by Minnesota, including deals with the Lions and Packers.
Adofo-Mensah’s ex-employer, Andrew Berry, was famous for selecting young rookies and avoiding 23-year-olds in the draft. The Vikings new boss followed suit this time, as Booth Jr. is just 21 years old.
Altogether, the Vikings have two more picks on night #2 of the trade — unless more trades are conducted.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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