When Dallas Turner was still on the board, Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah knew it was time to get aggressive.
Adofo-Mensah executed a trade to move from No. 23 to No. 17 to grab Turner, who was projected to be a top-10 pick by many but was still on the board after a record 14 offensive players were selected to open the NFL Draft's first round.
In a recent ESPN article, analysts were asked to tab their favorite pick of the entire three-day draft. Jordan Reid pointed to the Vikings selection of Turner and wrote the following:
Minnesota hasn't drafted an edge rusher in the first two rounds since 2005 (Erasmus James). The team needed to replenish its talent off the edge after losing Danielle Hunter in free agency. While the team signed Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel during free agency, Turner provides a high upside as a pass-rusher in Brian Flores' defense. Turner led Alabama with 10 sacks and 45 pressures last season.
Turner was opined by many to be the best edge rusher in this year's draft class.
Among the other favorite picks were four different receivers, three of which the Vikings are slated to face during the 2024 regular season.
Jeremy Fowler's favorite selection was Malik Nabers, who went to the Giants at No. 6 overall.
For all the hand-wringing about the Giants quarterback outlook, the truth is New York quarterbacks haven't had a true top-10 receiver since Odell Beckham, Jr. Nabers might have the highest ceiling of any offensive player in the draft. Several teams in the top 15 coveted him. Give quarterback Daniel Jones a chance with a guy of this caliber and see what happens.
The Vikings will play the Giants on the road this season.
Aaron Schatz highlighted the Colts selection of wideout Adonai Mitchell in the second round (52nd overall).
Analytics suggest there is no such thing as a "draft steal" because prospects drop from consensus for good reasons. That being said, Mitchell might have dropped due to off-field concerns, and Colts [General Manager] Chris Ballard spoke out against that. This was the No. 5 wide receiver in Playmaker Score but the No. 11 receiver off the board.
The player who got the most votes for "favorite" was Rome Odunze. Matt Miller, Field Yates and Mike Tannenbaum all chose the Bears new receiver. Yates wrote:
The wideout falling to No. 9 was not a complete surprise, given the anticipated run on quarterbacks early, but it was also not a sure thing. The sixth-highest-rated player on my board could have been the first receiver taken in so many prior drafts, but the presence of Marvin Harrison, Jr., and Nabers (the third- and fourth-rated players on my board) made him the third off the board in this class. But don't be mistaken – Odunze will be an instant impact contributor as one the most polished prospects in the class.
PFF lists 'one major takeaway' for each team following NFL Draft
Analytics site Pro Football Focus also has been evaluating the recent draft.
PFF's Dalton Wasserman recently looked at each team's draft outcome and shared "one major takeaway." For Minnesota, he noted the Vikings ability to "get their quarterback" without sacrificing their second first-round pick – or their first-round pick in 2025.
Wasserman wrote, "Despite speculation that the Vikings could trade into the top five to select a quarterback," they were able to snag Michigan's J.J. McCarthy after trading up just one spot from 11 to 10.
The fact that they got their quarterback and were still able to select Dallas Turner in the first round should be considered a win.
There's been plenty of conversation about the Bears supporting cast around Caleb Williams, but McCarthy may be walking into a better situation. He joins an offense with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, Aaron Jones and a terrific tackle duo. McCarthy's adjustment to the NFL should be a lot easier with those stars around him and [Head Coach] Kevin O'Connell calling plays.
Defensively, the Vikings have emphasized improvement to their front seven this offseason. They continued to do so by trading up to select Dallas Turner at No. 17 overall. Turner is the premier speed rusher in this class. He's an incredible athlete who can also drop into coverage. He is exactly what [Defensive Coordinator] Brian Flores looks for in his outside linebackers and joins Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel to form a formidable edge group.
