:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/32881611/20140509_ajl_ai9_010.JPG.0.jpg)
As I've mentioned previously. . .just the other day, as a matter of fact. . .grading a draft that finished less than 24 hours ago is a bit of a silly exercise, in my opinion. For those of you that watched NFL Network's draft coverage last night, you know that Mike Mayock agrees with me. I wish there was a way that I could have made his rant about it last night into a YouTube clip that I could just embed every year.
But, I also understand that they're a very popular topic for conversation, and they might provide us something that we can look back at and laugh in a few years. So, while I personally won't be grading the draft, I've put together a round-up of what some of the "experts" are saying about the Minnesota Vikings' 2014 draft class, as well as how it compares to those of our NFC North rivals.
(I'd like to thank the folks at Blogging the Boys for the table formatting.)
| Minnesota Vikings 2014 Draft Grades | ||||
| Pete Prisco, CBSSports | CHI | DET | GB | |
A |
For the second consecutive year, the Vikings did a nice job with the draft. They landed pass rusher Anthony Barr with their first-round pick, then traded back into the round to get quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Keep an eye on sixth-round corner Antone Exum. | A | B- | B |
| Rob Rang, CBSSports | CHI | DET | GB | |
A |
Despite all of the knocks on his slight frame and poor Pro Day workout, Teddy Bridgewater remained my top-rated quarterback. He doesn't possess the ideal accuracy on the deep ball to be a perfect match in Norv Turner's offense but given the presence of Adrian Peterson, steady route-runners Greg Jennings and Kyle Rudolph and burgeoning playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson, he enters a nice situation and will eventually overtake Matt Cassel. As a quarterback, Bridgewater will, of course, earn most of the attention from this class but the Vikings led things off with pass rusher Anthony Barr, whose speed off the edge will be utilized well by defensive-minded head coach Mike Zimmer. Blue-collar defensive end Scott Crichton also is a quality addition. Watch out for middle round selections Jerick McKinnon (a phenomenal athlete who could play any number of roles), David Yankey and Antone Exum to also make this roster. This was an especially strong draft for the Vikings considering that it is general manager Rick Spielman and Zimmer's first year working together. | A- | B+ | A |
| Josh Katzenstein, Detroit News | CHI | DET | GB | |
B |
As an accurate passer who makes few mistakes, Bridgewater is a perfect fit to run the offense. Barr could thrive under coach Mike Zimmer. The Vikings had some good value picks, but needed to add another offensive weapon. | A | B | A |
| Charean Williams, Forth Worth Star-Telegram | CHI | DET | GB | |
A- |
The Vikings picked 10 players, including two in the first round and two in the third. Barr and Bridgewater were solid choices, filling needs, but their three corners came in the sixth round or later, leaving Xavier Rhodes as the only sure bet at CB. |
C+ | ? | C |
| Matthew Fairburn, SB Nation | CHI | DET | GB | |
A- |
The Vikings have aced the 2014 NFL Draft. After stealing Teddy Bridgewater at the end of the first round, Minnesota got another great value in Scott Crichton. The Vikings also added a bunch of talented defensive backs. If a few of them pan out, Minnesota will have addressed a lot of needs with this draft class. Antone Exum went later than expected because of the injuries he's had, but he could be an impact player either at safety or cornerback. He and Bridgewater were Minnesota's best value picks. | B | A- | A |
| Bryan Fischer, NFL.com | CHI | DET | GB | |
Passed w/flying colors |
Rick Spielman had a great draft, and it continued on the third day with the Yankey pick. He'll be a solid pro for years and had second-day talent. Exum is a defensive back who could see early playing time. | Good pick, good fit | Good pick, good fit | Passed w/flying colors |
| Burke & Farrar, SI.com | CHI | DET | GB | |
A+ |
On paper at least, the Vikings had one of the top drafts in 2014. UCLA's Anthony Barr was a slight reach as a pass rusher under development, but the team really scored by trading back into the end of the first round and grabbing Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Their third-round picks - Oregon State defensive lineman Scott Crichton and Georgia Southern do-it-all back Jerick McKinnon - should provide valuable depth right away. And grabbing Stanford guard David Yankey in the fifth round could amount to highway robbery in a few years. An outstanding haul for first-year head coach Mike Zimmer and his staff. | A- | B | A |
| Mel Kiper, ESPN.com | CHI | DET | GB | |
B- |
The first round of this draft has me pretty split. I thought Anthony Barr was a pretty big reach based on my evaluations; he's a talented but raw player who lacks instincts on defense. On the other hand, moving decisively to get Teddy Bridgewater made sense, and they have the pieces around him to help him succeed. Plus, as Trent Dilfer noted, the culture in that locker room could be good for Teddy as well. While I really liked the David Yankey pick and also am a fan of Jerick McKinnon based on his tape and his exceptional workout numbers, not taking an inside linebacker anywhere is questionable given what they currently have on the roster, and I'm surprised they didn't add another wide receiver given the talent available. They took some shots at cornerback, and I think Kendall James could be a pretty good late value. The Vikings did a pretty good job overall, and if Barr develops more and Bridgewater really becomes the answer, this draft will look really good. | B- | B- | B |
| Eric Edholm, Yahoo! Sports | CHI | DET | GB | |
A- |
This was a very strong pull if Barr can make it, and he has a few years to develop. Bridgewater could be special if the Vikings don't force him into a bad situation., and the picks in the trenches and the secondary were solid. |
C+ | C | A- |
As you can see, the Vikings' 2014 draft class appears to be well-received thus far. Only Mel Kiper seems to not be very high on what Minnesota has done over the past three days.
What do you think? What (ridiculously early) grade would you give the Minnesota Vikings' 2014 draft?