The Vikings selected 15 players in the 2020 NFL Draft. Six of those choices were made in rounds six and seven. A year ago, the Vikings took seven players in the draft’s final rounds and were able to get some production out of them, which doesn’t happen all that often. It’s worth taking a look at this year’s late-round rookies and comparing them and their circumstances with their 2019 counterparts. Several of this year’s players have a chance to be more productive than their 2019 counterparts, while others may not be able to hit the bar that was set.
Oli Udoh (2019) & Blake Brandel (2020)
The Vikings drafted Olisaemeka Udoh from small-school Elon with the 193rd pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. Udoh was seen as a project and was exactly that. He did make the final 53-man roster but was inactive virtually every single week. Udoh got to play in the meaningless season finale against the Bears and logged 31 snaps in that game. He played with aggression and actually looked impressive in that contest, but the game had no playoff implications, so it’s hard to glean too much from it. There are rumblings that the Vikings could try Udoh at guard this year and, in what will be a wide-open competition, he’ll have just as good a shot to earn a spot on the depth chart as anyone on the team.
The Vikings took Blake Brandel this year with the 203rd overall choice. Like Udoh, he was a college tackle, primarily playing on the left side. There are concerns about Brandel’s overall athletic ability, strength and size, and there is talk he could be moved to guard. The biggest difference between Brandel and Udoh’s situations is the level of competition on the Vikings’ depth chart. Brandel is being thrown into a position where there will be a plethora of big men competing for the gig who have much more experience than he does. He’s being asked to learn a new position and is already lacking some much-needed traits. In this case, it’s hard to see Brandel making the final roster the way Udoh did, and his best bet is to land on the practice squad where he can continue to develop and learn the ins and outs of playing the guard position.
Marcus epps (2019) & josh metellus (2020)
Marcus Epps was a safety from Wyoming that the Vikings grabbed in the sixth round at pick 191. He was seen as a long shot to make the team, but his ability to play corner as well as safety helped him earn a spot on the Vikings’ final 53-man roster. Epps didn’t do a lot during his tenure with the Vikings. He appeared in eight games and had one tackle during that span. He was released when the Vikings decided to bring in veteran Andrew Sendejo for depth. Epps was then picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles and went on to play in seven games for them, adding five more tackles to his career total.
The Vikings again took a safety in the sixth round in 2020. They grabbed aggressive Michigan thumper Josh Metellus, who should see a much bigger role than Epps did a year ago since this season there is a major lack of depth behind the starters. Where Epps had to battle with players like Jayron Kearse and Derron Smith to make the team, Metellus just has a couple of rookies to compete with who were taken after he was. For a late-round pick, he’s basically a lock to make the team and should be the primary backup to Smith and Harris in year one. Metellus will likely be a special teams standout and could see a handful of defensive snaps a game. He could end up with a fairly solid stat line after his first year in the league and has a very high chance of outproducing Epps.
Armon Watts (2019) & Kenny willekes (2020)
While these two don’t play the same position, they are both defensive linemen who the Vikings took late in the draft. Watts made the Vikings roster as a rookie and was rewarded for that by being inactive for the first nine games of the season. When he did see the field, he showed a little something and was able to provide that interior pressure the middle of the Vikings’ defensive line was lacking. He finished his rookie season with 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble. He should be in for a much bigger role in 2020.
Willekes was a seventh-round defensive end the Vikings grabbed out of Michigan State. He is seen as a blue-collar, high energy, high effort player who lacks athleticism and ideal physical traits. Willekes is a former college walk-on who plays every snap like his job depends on it. It’s that effort and energy that got him drafted by the Vikings. When it all shakes out at season’s end, Willekes’ rookie numbers could look very similar to what Watts posted in year one. The Vikings defensive end depth chart isn’t all that daunting, and all Willekes has to do is beat out Anthony Zettel and Eddie Yarbrough. If he can do that, he’ll be the Vikings’ fourth defensive end and could get worked in on a rotational basis as a rookie, and that’ll be enough for him to duplicate Watts’s production from a season ago.
BISI JOHNSON (2019) & QUARTNEY DAVIS (2020)
This comparison could be cheating a little bit, as Davis wasn’t drafted. Bisi Johnson, however, was taken with the 247th overall pick in 2019, and that is about as close to being undrafted as one can get. Johnson was a pleasant surprise for the Vikings as a rookie. He slowly worked his way up the depth chart during the preseason and became the Vikings’ third wide receiver about a quarter of the way into the season. He doesn’t have great size, or speed, but is a solid route runner, who through his sticky hands gained the trust of Kirk Cousins. He finished his rookie season with an impressive 31 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He turned out to be a hidden gem and should be in line to at least duplicate those numbers in 2020.
Davis has a chance to be just as productive as a rookie. While he was undrafted, he has a strong chance of making the Vikings’ roster. He’s 6’1″ and nearly 200 pounds. He isn’t exceptionally fast but is a solid route runner with good hands. Davis also has a nice big frame and is tough to bring down when the ball is in his hands. While the Vikings only kept four wide receivers a season ago, that was likely due to the fact they didn’t have a ton of options. They usually keep around six, and if that’s the case this season, Davis should be able to make the team. He’ll have to beat out Alexander Hollins, Dillon Mitchell and perhaps fifth-round pick K.J. Osborn to do it. Davis appears to be motivated to prove his doubters wrong and could be coming to camp with a chip on his shoulder. He possesses the talent to not just make the Vikings team but to carve out a role for himself in the offense in 2020. If he can do that, his numbers could be quite similar to what Johnson posted a season ago.
