Minnesota Vikings 2017 NFL Draft: Analysis of defensive picks
Oct 1, 2016; Iowa City, IA, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) gets ready to throw as Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Jaleel Johnson (67) applies pressure during the second half at Kinnick Stadium. Northwestern won 38-31. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Without a first round pick, the Minnesota Vikings surely made the 2017 NFL Draft exciting for its football fans back in Minnesota.
The trade count from Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and company is just about tireless to count, They moved up a couple of times in the 2017 NFL Draft to snag players, while moving back numerous times to compile more picks in a very deep 2017 Draft class.
Examining the picks, the Vikings wanted to address the offensive side of the ball directly, while adding the Zimmer prototype players on defense later in the draft. Zimmer has a so-called type that he likes and prefers to mold and Minnesota was able to target those types of players later in the draft.
Defensively the Vikings are strong almost everywhere. However, a litany of injuries — some that are still lingering worryingly — derailed the unit a bit at the end of the year. Thus, adding depth on the defensive side of the ball was key. In all, the Vikings made 11 selections in the 2017 NFL Draft and five of those picks came on the defensive side of the ball.
Looking at those five players now headed north to Minnesota, let's break down the Vikings' defensive draft picks in the order they were selected.
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Jaleel Johnson, DT
The Vikings needed pass rush ability from the defensive tackle and someone who could potentially help the rotation if Sharrif Floyd never gets healthy. Jaleel Johnson was a near perfect selection in the fourth round.
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His sudden speed off the ball, quick hands, and ability to not get knocked off the line should help him contribute in the middle of this defense. Johnson does have some bad tendencies to stand tall on the line, with his lateral movement also very limited. In a way, Johnson is similar to what the Vikings had in Letroy Guion when he was in Minnesota. A brick in the middle with a bit of pass rush ability, just comes without less baggage and injury concerns.
Last season Johnson was selected to the All-Big Ten first team, while leading the Iowa Hawkeyes in sacks with 7.5, 56 total tackles —10 of them being for a loss — improving each year along the defensive line.
There are a ton of question marks surrounding the availability of a former first-round pick, Floyd, this year in Minnesota. The Vikings jumped all over former Green Bay Packer, Datone Jones, and now address the defensive tackle position in the draft with Johnson. Another smart move by the Vikings, finding tremendous value in their position of need selection in the fourth round.
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Ben Gedeon, LB – Michigan
Fans are all scratching their proverbial noggins on this pick. With other positions needing to be addressed and an outside linebacker position that must be filled, Minnesota selects a two-down run stuffing linebacker. Now don't get me wrong, I love Ben Gedeon's toughness and ability to read plays quickly in the backfield. His power is unquestioned allowing him to be able to get off blockers with ease. Where he underwhelms is in the passing game with his lack of speed.
Minnesota currently has Emmanuel Lemur, Kentrall Brothers, and Edmond Robinson all vying for a position that are all athletically more gifted than Gedeon. Minnesota loves Brothers, who excelled on special teams last year, and likes the athletic ability Robinson.
Maybe Spielman and Zimmer were looking for another Michael Mauti, someone who plays with an edge in all phases. Special teams will have to be his bread and butter throughout the preseason, he will also need to flash on defense when he gets the chance.
Look for Gedeon to be on the roster bubble when the cuts come in. This isn't the greatest value pick, but could turn into a gem if Gedeon shows us all different facets to his game.
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Ifeadi Odenigbo, DE – Northwestern
A physical specimen on the edge, Ifeadi Odenigbo would fit in nicely with the Minnesota Vikings defensive line rotation. Maybe not this year, but potentially down the road with Brian Robison retiring after the season. Minnesota already boasts quite the pairing of pass rushers with young stud, Danielle Hunter, growing into a perennial All-Pro defensive end.
Zimmer loves to implement a rotation up front, and, if this kid can learn different techniques and facets of the game besides his patented bull-rush to power, he may push into the roster. Odenigbo has the physical traits Zimmer likes in his defensive players, but only being a pass rushing specialist at Northwestern, he definitely has his work cut out for him in camp.
Elijah Lee, OLB – Kansas State
What a steal for the Minnesota Vikings, what on earth is Elijah Lee doing sitting there in the seventh round? An All-Big 12 linebacker and athletically gifted player who can cover in open field and is a great blitzer shouldn't have still been available.
Lee will need to work on getting off blocks and making tackles, but his ball skills are unquestionable. This outside linebacker out of Kansas State could potentially replace the Chad Greenway position on the outside, or could play a strong safety role on this team with his speed.
Jack Tocho, CB – NC State
And the last pick of the Minnesota Vikings 2017 NFL Draft had to be a cornerback, right? Zimmer loves his corners, and Tocho matches up with his measurements and strength. Bottom line, Tocho is a former team captain and a physical presence in the back-end. He excels in press coverage with great instincts but struggles with speed and injuries.
Minnesota finishes the seventh round with a ton of athletes who can find roles on the team if they can build during the offseason. Keep an eye on Lee and Tocho to make pushes for roster spots on special teams with Odenigbo possibly earning a practice squad spot if he doesn't make roster.