Vikings Draft Safety from Georgia in Round 1
Dustin Baker
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After months of hype and anticipation, the Minnesota Vikings bolstered the depth chart on Thursday.
With a pick that will forever be associated with new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the Vikings selected Lewis Cine, a safety from the national champion Georgia Bulldogs.
Cine instantly transforms the safety section of the depth chart, presumably partnering with incumbent Harrison Smith and battling second-year defensive back Camryn Bynum for a starting spot.
Adofo-Mensah had a chance to draft Kyle Hamilton from Notre Dame, also a safety, with the 12th overall pick but traded down with the Detroit Lions. The Vikings traded the 12th pick and a 2nd-Rounder this year in the deal — for the 32nd, 34th, and 66th picks.
The Draft Network called Cine a “good athlete with good straight-line speed, agility, and range of motion” and a “violent, physical hitter.”
Minnesota will have the second pick of the evening on Friday, thanks to the Lions.
Cine wasn’t a name associated with the Vikings during draft leadup, mainly because draft brains didn’t foresee Adofo-Mensah trading back 20 spots.
The Vikings will be busy on Friday, a prize from the Lions trade. If no more trades occur, the Vikings have three picks in Rounds 2 and 3.
Interestingly, Liberty quarterback Malik Willis may be available for the Vikings on Friday if the team has plans to hedge bets with the Kirk Cousins experiment.
Cine is 22 years old.
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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