With Kyle Hamilton on the Board, Vikings Trade Down

Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings hung on to the 12th overall pick until the last moment, trading it to the division rival Detroit Lions, who drafted wide receiver, Jameson Williams.

New general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also traded the team’s 2nd-Rounder this year in the deal — for the 32nd, 34th, and 66th picks in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Vikings now have the final pick in Round 1 on Thursday night, the 2nd pick on Friday evening, and one of the first picks in the 3rd Round.

Still, the Vikings could repackage some of the spoils from the Lions trade to move back higher in the 1st Round. But the realization of that is unclear.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1001767″ player=”26279″ title=”WATCH%20202223%20NFL%20Rookie%20of%20the%20Year%20candidates%20%20Top%2010″ duration=”191″ description=”The 2022-23 NFL Rookie of the Year candidates are all over the place at this stage of the year. Until the 2022 NFL Draft can take place, with players from both Day One and Day Two having a fair shot at becoming contenders, we’re highlighting some of the most-likely contestants with the information we have so far.Let’s dive into some of the top candidates to win the 2022-23 NFL Rookie of the Year award. Stay tuned for an update on Friday, April 29 once Round 2 has concluded.” uploaddate=”2022-04-28″ thumbnailurl=”undefined” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/1001732/1001732.m3u8″ width=”16″ height=”9″]

Notably, the Vikings passed on Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton, long considered a Top 3 player in the draft class. When it was all said and done, the “Hamilton tumble” was real, and the Vikings, for now, weren’t interested.

Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

This is the second year in a row the Vikings traded down in Round 1. Last year, Minnesota slid back nine spots, trading with the New York Jets for [for picks that would turn out to be] Christian Darrisaw, Kellen Mond, and Wyatt Davis. The Jets drafted guard Alijah Vera-Tucker.


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).