Minnesota Vikings 2014 NFL Draft Grades

Posted By Chris Ransom

Minnesota Vikings: Anthony Barr, ROLB, UCLA

Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville

Minnesota Vikings Day 1 Draft Grade: (A+) Minnesota landed two starters on both sides of the ball with Barr and Bridgewater. Barr registered double-digit sacks in each of his past two seasons at UCLA as a 3-4 right outside linebacker. Barr has the versatility to adapt to any role on the inside or the outside in a 4-3 or a 3-4 scheme. His run stuffing is just as effective as his pass-rushing. He can be a sack artist at the weak side linebacker position on a consistent basis.

Bridgewater completed 71 percent of his passes in 2013 after being a 5 star recruit coming out of high school. Three quarterbacks were drafted in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Blake Bortles will likely sit for the Jaguars. Johnny Manziel may sit, but could also end up starting week 1 due to demand by the Browns’ fan-base. There is a good chance Bridgewater beats out Matt Cassel and Christian Ponder for the starting job. Having Norv Turner as an offensive coordinator along with the best supporting cast among the three 2014 quarterbacks drafted in the first-round makes him the favorite to have the best overall career. Still, Teddy has to play well in cold weather come December. This is an adjustment he will go through as a rookie quarterback.

I loved these picks so much, I could see Barr and Bridgewater both winning offensive and defensive rookie of the year. If neither player wins rookie of the year it will be due to the pass-rushing of Jadeveon Clowney, or the rookies on the Browns with Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel.

Minnesota Vikings 2014 Day 2 Picks

Team	Round	Overall Pick	Player	Position	College
	Round 3	72nd Overall Pick	Scott Crichton	DE
	Round 3	96th Overall Pick	Jerick McKinnon	RB

Minnesota Vikings Day 2 Draft Grade: (A+) Minnesota delivered again on day 2. I know Scott Crichton was inconsistent at Oregon State. He could mold himself into a Jared Allen like 4-3 right end if he works hard and listens to HC Mike Zimmer.

I also love the Jerick McKinnon pick. The 5-foot-9 and 216-pound Georgia Southern Eagle had back-to-back seasons of 1,000+ rushing yards with 1,817 rushing yards in 2012 and 1,050 rushing yards in 2013. The guy scores touchdowns too. 20 rushing touchdowns in 2012 before scoring a dozen more in 2013 adding 12 more touchdowns giving him 32 touchdowns in the past two seasons. The guy ran a 4.40 (4.4) 40-yard dash at the 2014 NFL Combine. He had a sick Pro Day and gets to begin his career as Adrian Peterson’s backup before potentially becoming his successor over time after Toby Gerhart signed with a Jacksonville Jaguars squad that ovepaid Gerhart big time in free agency.

Minnesota Vikings Day 3 Draft Picks Slideshow

Minnesota Vikings Day 3 Draft Grade: (A+) Vikings did it again on day 3. The Vikings’ began day 3 by drafting Stanford left guard David Yankey hoping he will become the guy that puts current starting left guard Charlie Johnson on the unemployed list of NFL players. Yankey is capable of playing offensive tackle or guard with his unique versatility at the position. I like his odds of dethroning Johnson for the starting left guard job.

After that Minnesota added Antoine Exum who can serve as a nickel corner or backup safety for depth. Minnesota added a couple of collegiate successors with Kendall James and Shamar Stephen. James sat behind Maine 2012 cornerback prospect Trumaine Johnson. Stephen was a backup to Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes at one point.

Georgia Tech outside linebacker Brandon Watts can serve as a backup outside linebacker to Anthony Barr and Chad Greenway.