Well, this draft has certainly been a practice of patience for Minnesota Vikings fans.
Fans waited with bated breath on Day 2, tantalized by the idea of a possible move into the second round for a guy whose name they’d actually heard before. But then the second round passed and the third started. Then a trade back from 87 to 102. And finally, with the 102nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select… Mekhi Blackmon, cornerback, USC.
If you listened closely at that moment, you could hear the entire state of Minnesota Googling Mekhi Blackmon simultaneously.
So I get it if you’re a bit frustrated, Vikings fans. Trade-backs are boring. We want to see the aggressive “get your guy” mentality that always seemed missing in the Rick Spielman era. Are we in for more of the same for the rest of Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s tenure as GM?
Maybe, but let’s not forget the biggest move of the second round:
You can’t judge Minnesota’s draft without T.J. Hockenson.
The Vikings made a move last fall for the Detroit Lions tight end. The Lions traded him, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a conditional 2024 draft selection to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick.
If Minnesota had made this trade last night, rather than at the deadline, they would’ve been celebrated as one of the biggest winners of Day 2. Instead, prisoners of the moment are so bored with Adofo-Mensah’s analytical antics that they’re ready to pack his bags.
So let’s appreciate Hockenson for a moment, shall we? What would we be saying if Adofo-Mensah swung this trade last night?
“The Minnesota Vikings make an aggressive move to improve their playmaking on offense. After taking wide receiver Jordan Addison on Day 1, they swing a huge trade for veteran tight end T.J. Hockenson from division rival Detroit Lions. The compensation was reasonable and they secure a key cog to their offense for years to come. Hockenson immediately adds another dimension to Kevin O’Connell’s offense that will do wonders to open things up for superstar Justin Jefferson.
“Vikings Day 2 Grade: A+” – Some Guy at NFL.com, probably.
Perhaps my grading was a bit generous, but I stand by the rest of it.
The Vikings already saw better returns on that second-round pick than the vast majority of other teams will, including the Lions. Detroit chose to use their first pick in the second round to replace Hockenson with another Iowa tight end. And maybe Sam LaPorta will be a nice player, but I’m willing to bet he won’t be Hockenson-level-good this season.
Hockenson was an essential piece in the Vikings’ offense in 2022. He hit the ground running after the trade, finishing second in the NFL in receiving yards by a tight end, and was Kirk Cousins’ second-most dependable receiver on the team behind Justin Jefferson.
Adofo-Mensah deserves credit for seeing an opportunity to be competitive ahead of schedule, identifying a clear need, and getting him at a solid value. Simply put, the Hockenson trade rules. It still rules.
Don’t get caught up looking solely at the past 76 hours. The Vikings have a ton of young talent, have attacked their needs, and clearly seem to have a unified vision between Adofo-Mensah, Kevin O’Connell, and new defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
The Addison pick in Round 1 was awesome, and they identified guys that should be exciting fits in Flores’ scheme. They found a scrappy corner with inside/outside versatility in USC’s Mekhi Blackmon, a versatile safety/nickel in Jay Ward out of LSU, and another high upside LSU Tiger in defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy. They also added UAB running back DeWayne McBride. Don’t let the small school fool you. McBride is an exciting player with excellent contact balance who could be an immediate contributor in the running back rotation.
And then for the crowd that was clamoring for a QB, Jaren Hall out of BYU is about as exciting as you’ll get in the fifth round. A live arm and the ability to make tight throws in and out of structure, Hall is exactly the type of developmental piece you would want Minnesota to start grooming behind Kirk Cousins.
This offense is ready to roll with an assortment of offensive weapons, and there’s been a lot of resources expended in improving this defense as well. The future is bright in Minnesota.
A route running assassin like Jordan Addison in Round 1. A proven commodity with elite production like T.J. Hockenson in Round 2. Then an assortment of hand-picked Flores defenders and a high-upside prospect like Jaren Hall to highlight Day 3. That is a heck of a draft weekend for Kwesi and Co.
