Tony Schultz’s Naughty List for Vikings Draft
The draft is the NFL equivalent of Christmas in sports. Eager fans put together and mull over mock drafts like their lists to Santa Claus.
As a kid, I used to look at the Sears Catalog and circle GI Joe and He-Man action figures, hoping that Santa or my family would place them under the tree. I would also put a big X on things I didn’t want in case they had any questions. It’s similar to what those with a bit of extra time on their hands do with mock drafts that they hope general managers across the league will agree with.
Tony Schultz’s Naughty List for Vikings Draft
The fact that some people have made a lucrative career out of it is impressive, and those who get mad when a team doesn’t take who they think they should, even though they’ve spent zero hours evaluating that player in person or on tape, is just sad. Based on what I’ve read from the experts, there are some players I would like the Vikings to draft and some that I hope they keep at arm’s length.
I’ve listed some players I would not like to see under the purple and gold Christmas tree this year. A few players that were thought to be nowhere near where the Vikings pick are starting to creep down the mock draft boards as questions start to arise. So, I will list them according to how unlikely they are supposed to be in the team’s pick range.
Will Johnson (CB)
Michigan
First, the tape doesn’t lie when it comes to Will Johnson. He has been a stud on the field and can cover and tackle well. He was the defensive MVP in the National Championship Game in 2023.
That made him a draft pick in the 6-15 range. The problem is that he wasn’t on the field much at the end of his college career. He got a foot injury, turf toe to be exact, and that cut his last season short. It’s not just that he got injured, but the fact that there is some mystery about how much it is lingering.
In the last few days, there has been national talk about him not performing the 40-yard dash at the combine, Michigan’s first pro-day due to a hamstring concern, and now at his individual pro-day for no reason. When the main question about your playing cornerback in the NFL has to do with your top speed translating to the pro game, and you don’t do the one drill that solidifies that, scouting personnel are going to worry.
When it might be due to injuries that don’t go away faster than they should after not playing for several months, those scouts start checking things off in red ink. It would be an absolute debacle if Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted someone who should be a starting corner but instead ends up riding the bench and maybe never plays significant snaps again because their body is not staying healthy.
Shades of the 2022 draft would drift into fans’ minds, and they would not be wrong to feel that way.
Tetairoa McMillan (WR)
Arizona
Once again, going strictly off the on-the-field tape, you can’t deny McMillan has talent. He’s tall, fast, and can run most wide receiver routes. He can beat defenses over the top and take a hit in the middle of the field. Does he want to be on the field, though?
That question has popped up recently due to an interview where he states on video that he, “Doesn’t watch football”. What drove the statement home was when he doubled down with, “I don’t like watching film either. I don’t need to watch it by myself because we go over it as a receiver group.” Yikes.
Nothing puts fear in a scout, GM, or coach than a player who might take the job of professional football too lightly as a 1st round pick. You mess that up, and you could lose your job. While some have brushed it off as his Hawaiian upbringing, where the people are very relaxed, others are more concerned.
You start to think of JaMarcus Russell and how the stories of the Raiders sending tapes home with him to watch and report on. He would state he really studied them. The problem was that the tapes were blank, thus proving he didn’t watch them. At least if they asked Tetairoa if he watched the tape, he might honestly say that he didn’t.
Kaleb Johnson (RB)
Iowa
The Vikings do not need to draft a running back high in this draft for two reasons. 1) They have Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason already. 2) The running back class is deep this year in the draft.
Other than Ashton Jeanty, I would not want the Vikings to take a running back at 24. It would be fine if they traded down or if it happened naturally through the process. Names to get familiar with are Quinshon Judkins, DJ Giddens, Cameron Skattebo, Bhayshul Tuten, and Damien Martinez, that the team could grab up at pick 97 and beyond, or higher if they traded down from 24.
One name that I do not want to see the Vikings take is Johnson. His name has been associated with the team due to his later-round availability. I watched some tape on him provided by NFL Draft with Josh Norris and Hayden Winks on YouTube.
As I watched, I noticed that Johnson had a lot of big holes to run through and rarely had to make much contact with the defense or change direction other than simple cutbacks. I mean, you can’t fault a guy for having a stud blocking corp.
As I continued to study the runs, I suddenly said out loud, “This guy looks like Alexander Mattison”.
Within 20 seconds of the video, Winks said the same thing. While I loved Mattison as a complementary back to Dalvin Cook, I hated him as the primary starter. Poor vision and lack of shiftiness made him look less than capable as opposed to when he came in as a change of pace back.
While the Vikings’ offensive line wasn’t great on short-yardage plays for the last few years, good running backs can compensate for that with power, vision, or quick feet. Mattison had none of those, and I think Johnson might be the same.
Andrew Mukuba (S)
Texas
The Vikings really need safety depth, and this is the one position where the need might override the best player available.
No matter where they may take a safety this year, all eyes and ears will be studying the pick as that player could be the long-term replacement for the ageless wonder, Harrison Smith. Those are big cleats to fill. Mukuba has some interesting traits, such as being fast for safety and very ball-savvy and aware. It also sounds like he has no trouble going up and filling holes on defense in the run game.
My worry is his overall size, coming in at 5’11” and 186 pounds. I know high school kids who weigh more than that at safety. He may have been able to play at that weight in college, but the backs are bigger and faster in the NFL. He just might not be able to hold up for a season, taking too many big hits. You often see players who know that try to avoid those hits and start to take bad angles on tackles or use bad form.
If a bigger receiver, tight end, or running back comes at him and he’s the last guy to prevent a touchdown, I would worry if he would stop them. A team that drafts him might be able to get his weight up, and he might become better than I believe.
I mean, Antoine Winfield was initially doubted due to his size, and he routinely crushed people with his tackling. You can’t always count on other players to become the same thing.
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