The Very Intriguing Comments by Kevin O’Connell …
April is a great month in the sports world. The Masters, NBA and NHL playoffs, and the start of the MLB season are here, yet the NFL stays in the news post-early free agency with constant draft chatter and team analysis — including from head coaches — as off-season programs also kick off around the country.
The Very Intriguing Comments by Kevin O’Connell…
At his media session during the recent NFL annual meeting, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell had plenty of interesting comments on various Vikings position groups. A lot of it is the usual coach speak, but there could be some clues to the team’s approach to the upcoming draft, or it could be O’Connell trying to throw other teams off track with the usual pre-draft smoke screens. Time will tell, but let’s examine some of his comments.
Cornerback: If the Vikings stay at No. 24 in the first round (or if they trade down, it should only be a couple of spots, so they stay in the 20s), I see the pick being a corner, safety, offensive guard, or defensive tackle.
O’Connell said “we really feel good about those five” in talking up the corner group of re-signed Byron Murphy, new free agent signees Isaiah Rodgers (who O’Connell said was a target of DC Brian Flores) and Jeff Okudah (selected third overall by Detroit in 2020) and young returnees Mekhi Blackmon (third-round pick in 2023 who missed last season with an ACL injury) and second-year man Dwight McGlothern who flashed in training camp and preseason games to make the team and he was active in five regular games plus the playoff game.
I still think there’s a decent chance the Vikings will take a corner in the first round. One possibility is Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky), who ran the fastest 40 at the Combine (4.28) and impressed at the Senior Bowl as a physical player with speed. So perhaps O’Connell wants to throw other teams off track regarding the Vikings’ interest in a corner at No. 24.
Safety: O’Connell has called the re-signing of Harrison Smith “massive.” The Vikings also have the versatile Josh Metellus back, along with putting money into Theo Jackson as a possible replacement for the departed Cam Bynum in the three-safety look.
Keep an eye on an excellent safety prospect in Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) as a possible first-round target.
Offensive Guard: The revamping of the interior O-line was a clear priority after the struggles in the final two games last season (including nine sacks by the Rams in the wild card game, with many coming over the guards and center). If they stay healthy, center Ryan Kelly and guard Will Fries should be excellent replacements for the departed Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram, along with Dalton Risner (RG starter at the end of the season who is still unsigned in free agency).
Blake Brandel was the left guard starter last season and he played well early, hit a rough patch in mid-seaso,n and O’Connell says he finished strong. Last year’s sixth-rounder Walter Rouse may be moved from tackle to guard as a challenger to Brandel but I also see a distinct possibility of the Vikings drafting a top guard in the first round which would really make an impressive group when combined with Kelly, Fries and Pro Bowl caliber OTs Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill.
Here are some highly-rated guards who could hear their name called at No. 24–or a few picks after via a trade down — as the Vikings first round pick: Tyler Booker (Alabama), Donovan Jackson (Ohio State) or Grey Zabel (North Dakota State).
Defensive Tackle: This is another position that O’Connell talked about as if the Vikings are totally covered after the expensive signings of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave to go with Harrison Phillips as starters. Then he pointed to youngsters Levi Drake Rodgriguez, Jalen Redmond, and Taki Taimani, who are “in impactful depth positions that can get some high-quality snaps.”
Again, if a top defensive tackle such as Walter Nolan of Ole Miss is available at No. 24, he could be hard to pass up. Certainly, the Eagles, among others, have significantly benefited from a rotation of top defensive linemen.
Running Back: O’Connell is obviously high on the mix of Aaron Jones and trade acquisition Jordan Mason as RB 1a and 1b. The coach did not mention Ty Chandler, who is heading into the final year of his rookie contract. Chandler has done well at times but seems somewhat of a liability in pass protection. O’Connell praised that area for Mason and called him “a heavy slash runner, tough to tackle with burst and explosion to finish runs.”
I think the Vikings may look to draft a back with their fifth or sixth-round pick from a strong running back class and groom that less costly player salary cap-wise to replace Chandler as the No. 3 back and possible kickoff returner.
Wide Receiver: I liked the Rondale Moore signing as a former second-round pick of the Cardinals who has battled injuries but can be a speedy and explosive wide receiver and punt returner to replace Brandon Powell and perhaps overtake Jalen Nailor for whom O’Connell says he has “high expectations.”
Nailor also enters the last year of his rookie deal so it’s a critical year for him and now he has competition from Moore for the No. 3 WR role (although both players could be in the top three for a couple games if Jordan Addison is hit with a league suspension from his driving incidents the past couple years).
It’s doubtful the Vikings will draft a WR unless they can obtain extra picks beyond the four they currently have.
There’s been no further word on signing a vet No. 2 QB to back up or be a bridge to J.J. McCarthy, who, along with Brett Rypien, is the only QB currently on the roster. That vet signing of a QB such as Ryan Tannehill, Carson, Wentz, or Joe Flacco (hopefully not Aaron Rodgers) likely won’t happen until post-draft, so these vets can see if the Vikings draft a QB, which certainly won’t happen in the first round for a second straight year.
Around the NFL Observations
It’s already offseason program time as three teams with new head coaches—the Bears, Patriots and Jets–kicked off their voluntary offseason program this week. The Vikings will begin their program with the strength and conditioning portion (along with meetings) on April 21. There will be a rookie minicamp in early May, and OTAs are set for late May and into June, with the mandatory minicamp scheduled for June 10-12.
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