The Vikings Got a Bulldog
The Minnesota Vikings onboarded offensive tackle Donovan Jackson from Ohio State on Thursday, wide receiver Tai Felton from Maryland on Friday, and an EDGE rusher on Saturday.
The Vikings Got a Bulldog
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah used the 139th pick in the draft, the first selection in Round 5, on Georgia Bulldog Tyrion Ingram-Hawkins.
Ingram-Hawkins is a Viking, contractually committed to the franchise for four years.
It’s OLB Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins for Vikings in Round 5
Star Tribune‘s Ben Goessling tweeted, “The Vikings are taking Georgia defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins with their first fifth-round pick. They’d hosted him on a top-30 visit, after he’d posted the fastest 10-yard split (1.69 seconds) among defensive tackles at the combine.”
His Relative Athletic Score is especially remarkable:
Tyryon Ingram-Dawkins Scouting Report
Ingram-Dawkins is 21 years old and 6’5″ + 280 pounds. His first-step quickness is mind-bogglingly impressive but his skill set, on the whole, will need much development — which is why he fell to Round 5.
NFL Draft Buzz’s Bill Miller on Ingram-Dawkins: “The gap between Ingram-Dawkins’ run defense and pass rushing ability tells the story of a player with half-developed tools. When asked to anchor, extend, and control gaps, he shines with technical proficiency and natural power. When tasked with rushing the passer, he’s still finding his way – more athlete than technician at this stage. This dichotomy reveals a defender who can contribute immediately in base packages while developing his rush repertoire through specialized coaching and repetition.”
“Watch the tape and you’ll see two different players — a disciplined run defender with proper leverage and hand placement, and a raw pass rusher still learning to translate his explosive testing numbers into consistent pressure.”
Most picks in Round 5 and later don’t pan out, but of course, Vikings fans will hope that Ingram-Dawkins is the exception to the tendency.
Miller added: “His positional flexibility offers tremendous value in today’s multiple-front NFL landscape. A defensive coordinator can deploy him across the defensive line without sacrificing strength or movement skills, making him an intriguing chess piece for creative pressure packages. Don’t mistake modest production for limited potential. The tools are there – explosive first step, powerful hands, natural bend, and disruptive flashes that hint at what’s possible.”
“His developmental curve suggests a player whose best football remains ahead of him. While he’ll enter the league as a specialized piece in early-down and run situations, patient coaching could unlock a versatile three-down defender who impacts both phases of the game. Finding players with this physical profile and movement skills at this size simply doesn’t happen often.”
The Updated EDGE Room for Vikings
With Ingram-Dawkins in the house, Minnesota’s outsider linebacker room is taking shape with training camp three months away:
- Jonathan Greenard
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Dallas Turner
- Bo Richter
- Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins
- Gabriel Murphy
General Reaction to the Pick
The Draft Network‘s Ryan Fowler tweeted, “Vikings potentially got a steal in Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. This kid can flat out PLAY. Elite athletic profile that only improved as the year went on for Georgia. All the tools to become a high impact player with plus bend and explosiveness. Still learning to put it all together, but if the lightbulb clicks, he’ll outplay his draft slot quickly.”
SI.com’s Will Ragatz added, “The flashes from new Vikings DL Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins are pretty high-level. Upside is an overused draft buzzword, but he seems to have plenty of it with his athletic tools. A fun new piece for Brian Flores and his staff.”
And Ingram-Dawkins was fired up:
Ingram-Dawkins is a two-time National Champion and attended the same high school as former Vikings wideout Sidney Rice — Gaffney High School in South Carolina. The Bulldog will turn 22 this summer.
A Quarterback Trade 2 Minutes Later
Mere seconds after the Ingram-Dawkins pick, Minnesota moved down 30 draft spots via trade for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Howell.
After six weeks of curiosity, fans learned that Howell will serve as the backup to J.J. McCarthy in 2025.
ESPN Trashes Vikings’ Draft Pick
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