A Look at All the Vikings 2023 Draft Picks after Week 16
Josh Frey
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The Minnesota Vikings are in the middle of what should be a deep playoff run, so the 2023 NFL Draft is on the backburner for many fans right now. However, the draft is now just four months away, and we will find out who will be the next era of Minnesota Vikings, After Week 16, here is where the Vikings 2023 Draft picks stand. Draft order taken from tankathon.com.
Day One
- Round 1, No. 30
This obviously isn’t an exact science considering the final draft position will be decided by how far the Vikings advance into the playoffs. However, given their seeding, the Vikings are currently projected to lose in the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
If that were to happen, the Vikings would likely land at the No. 30 spot in the first round (which technically gets bumped up to No. 29 considering the Dolphins forfeited their first-round pick). In that spot, they look to be in prime position to select three positions: cornerback, middle linebacker, or wide receiver.
Immediate prospects that come to mind are players like LB Trenton Simpson at Clemson or WR Rashee Rice at SMU. Don’t be surprised if they decide to trade down for the second consecutive year, either.
Day Two
- Round 3, No. 94
The Vikings dealt their second-round pick to the Detroit Lions as part of the T.J. Hockenson trade, so they may not be able to select a new player in that round, but they certainly filled their need at tight end with one of the more reliable players at the position in the entire league.
Meanwhile, their third-round pick lands at No. 94 as of now. In that spot, there’s a chance that they could go after a speedy WR such as Ainias Smith out of Texas A&M. The main desire expressed by Vikings fans is a reliable deep threat opposite Justin Jefferson, and Smith could be the answer.
Day Three
- Round 4, No. 117
- Round 5, No. 165
- Round 6, No. 205
- Round 6, No. 210
- Round 6, No. 213
As per usual, Day Three looks to be the busiest day for the Vikings in the 2023 NFL Draft. They don’t have any seventh-round picks right now, but they have selections in each of Rounds 4-6, including three selections in a span of nine picks during the sixth round.
Considering Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s propensity for making trades on draft weekend, these picks will likely be moved around by the time April arrives. That being said, this draft is once again stockpiled with athletic football players with high potential. If the Vikings are to take a shot at another QB in this draft class, it may come on the final day. A player to keep in mind would be Washington State quarterback Cameron Ward.
Overall, the Vikings currently hold just seven picks in this upcoming draft. This is certainly trending towards being a quieter draft period for the Vikings than we’ve seen in recent years. However, if there’s one thing Adofo-Mensah hasn’t been afraid to do in his short tenure as Vikings GM, it’s swing for the fences on players. This period could quickly turn into a very loud draft for the Vikings with one move from the savvy GM.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.
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