The Official Draft Prediction for Vikings | VT Writers’ Edition

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Apr 22, 2023
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Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft

The Minnesota Vikings embark on general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s second draft on Thursday, equipped with five picks — from the 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th rounds.

Last year, Adofo-Mensah pulled off a plethora of trades during the event, leaving fans’ heads spinning, as the franchise traded more than any team in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Official Draft Prediction for Vikings | VT Writers’ Edition

And while Adofo-Mensah might be up to the same tricks — trading all over the place — VikingsTerritory’s writers were asked to rank the Top-20 Round 1 prospects in order of landing with the Vikings via the team’s first pick of the draft. Seven contributors opined, and one man fetched the most collective predictive juice — WR Quentin Johnston of TCU.

Draft Prediction for
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

Interestingly, not a single VikingsTerritory writer pegged Johnston at the top of their predictive list, but he did not fall out of anybody’s Top 7. So, you know, math.

Accordingly, he earns the 2023 title of rookie most likely to be drafted by Minnesota.

Before the NFL Combine in February, some theorized Johnston as a Top 15-ish talent because of his size and skillset. But he measured at 6 feet and 2 inches in Indianapolis, which is certainly not bad, but not the 6’4″ that was evidently falsely advertised in January. Accordingly, as Johnston isn’t quite as large as expected, the TCU product has slipped down draftboards a smidgen.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports.

Johnston fired up a terrific junior season at TCU, registering 60 receptions for 1,069 yards and 6 touchdowns. All told in three years at the school, he tabulated a marvelous 19.0 yards per reception — just what the doctor ordered in an offense looking for solutions opposite Justin Jefferson.

The TCU alumnus is known for size and speed, while a couple of weaknesses include an inability, at times, to defeat press coverage, along with some contested-catch concerns.

Minnesota arguably needs a WR2 to replace Adam Thielen, who left after 10 years of service in March. Head coach Kevin O’Connell could also promote K.J. Osborn or Jalen Nailor to WR2. Adofo-Mensah has not signed a D.J. Chark, Allen Lazard, Odell Beckham, or WR2-type in free agency, so it’s either Osborn, a rookie like Johnston, or bust this autumn.

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.

These are our writers’ predictive draftboards regarding the Vikings first pick. Remember — these are not the prospects our writers like for Minnesota’s roster but who they predict will be drafted by the club.

Janik Eckardt

  1. Mazi Smith
  2. Hendon Hooker
  3. Deonte Banks
  4. Quentin Johnston
  5. Kelee Ringo
  6. Keion White
  7. Brian Branch
  8. Bryan Bresee
  9. Zay Flowers
  10. Calijah Kancey
  11. Joey Porter Jr.
  12. Jack Campbell
  13. Myles Murphy
  14. Emmanuel Forbes
  15. Trenton Simpson
  16. Jordan Addison
  17. Cam Smith
  18. Drew Sanders
  19. Will Levis
  20. Anthony Richardson

Josh Frey

  1. Deonte Banks
  2. Emmanuel Forbes
  3. Brian Branch
  4. Jordan Addison
  5. Kelee Ringo
  6. Quentin Johnston
  7. Cam Smith
  8. Zay Flowers
  9. Drew Sanders
  10. Calijah Kancey
  11. Joey Porter Jr.
  12. Bryan Bresee
  13. Keion White
  14. Trenton Simpson
  15. Myles Murphy
  16. Hendon Hooker
  17. Mazi Smith
  18. Will Levis
  19. Jack Campbell
  20. Anthony Richardson

Wesley Johnson

  1. Mazi Smith
  2. Bryan Bresee
  3. Quentin Johnston
  4. Kelee Ringo
  5. Trenton Simpson
  6. Cam Smith
  7. Emmanuel Forbes
  8. Drew Sanders
  9. Myles Murphy
  10. Jordan Addison
  11. Deonte Banks
  12. Joey Porter Jr.
  13. Zay Flowers
  14. Calijah Kancey
  15. Keion White
  16. Will Levis
  17. Brian Branch
  18. Hendon Hooker
  19. Anthony Richardson
  20. Jack Campbell

Adam New

  1. Jordan Addison
  2. Brian Branch
  3. Bryan Bresee
  4. Deonte Banks
  5. Joey Porter Jr.
  6. Quentin Johnston
  7. Zay Flowers
  8. Hendon Hooker
  9. Will Levis
  10. Mazi Smith
  11. Keion White
  12. Cam Smith
  13. Myles Murphy
  14. Drew Sanders
  15. Calijah Kancey
  16. Kelee Ringo
  17. Anthony Richardson
  18. Jack Campbell
  19. Emmanuel Forbes
  20. Trenton Simpson

Cody Spears

  1. Joey Porter Jr.
  2. Myles Murphy
  3. Deonte Banks
  4. Anthony Richardson
  5. Will Levis
  6. Calijah Kancey
  7. Quentin Johnston
  8. Brian Branch
  9. Jordan Addison
  10. Mazi Smith
  11. Drew Sanders
  12. Bryan Bresee
  13. Cam Smith
  14. Emmanuel Forbes
  15. Zay Flowers
  16. Trenton Simpson
  17. Jack Campbell
  18. Kelee Ringo
  19. Keion White
  20. Hendon Hooker

Dustin Baker

  1. Bryan Bresee
  2. Deonte Banks
  3. Brian Branch
  4. Jordan Addison
  5. Kelee Ringo
  6. Quentin Johnston
  7. Cam Smith
  8. Zay Flowers
  9. Mazi Smith
  10. Calijah Kancey
  11. Joey Porter Jr.
  12. Emmanuel Forbes
  13. Keion White
  14. Trenton Simpson
  15. Myles Murphy
  16. Hendon Hooker
  17. Drew Sanders
  18. Will Levis
  19. Jack Campbell
  20. Anthony Richardson

The 2023 NFL Draft starts at 7:00 pm CST on Thursday night in Kansas City.

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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 Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.