NFC North Rookie Class Grades: Vikings Score Big

Vikings fans seem to think they struck gold with the likes of Teddy Bridgewater, Anthony Barr and Jerick McKinnon in the 2014 NFL draft. But does the NFL? According to a recent review, Minnesota brought home the best class in the NFC North.

Here is NFL.com’s review of the Vikings 2014 Draft Class:

"Whenever a team identifies a franchise quarterback in the draft, the personnel department and coaching staff deserve glowing marks for setting their organization up for long-term success. Thus, kudos go to the Vikings for landing Teddy Bridgewater at the bottom of the first round and getting their young signal-caller ready to play early in his rookie season. Most importantly, Minnesota built a quarterback-friendly offense around Bridgewater’s talents as a cerebral playmaker from the pocket. The team also hit a home run on Anthony Barr, a dynamic linebacker with rush skills. The rookie playmaker earned rave reviews for his ability to create “splash” off the edge, which is scary, considering his limited experience on defense. Jerick McKinnon was a surprise contributor as a change-of-pace back. Grade: A"

Isn’t it amazing how quarterback play is regarded around the league? The Vikings are getting a whole lot more respect around the NFL simply by finally finding an answer at the position.

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I liked what they said about Anthony Barr, especially because I think he was dramatically overshadowed by Teddy. Barr adjusted to the speed of the NFL almost instantaneously, which is even more amazing based on the fact that he’s only played defense for a few years now. Not only did he adjust to it, he seemed bigger and faster than everyone.

By bringing in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Davante Adams and Cory Linsley, the Green Bay Packers had the second-best grade with a B-. They will probably be looking for defensive line help in the offseason.

The Chicago Bears were third in the North with a C+ grade. After an abysmal defensive year in 2013, they went all-out on that side of the ball and came away most notably with Kyle Fuller, who could turn out to be a lock-down perimeter corner.

Rounding out the NFC North is the Detroit Lions, who were given a C for their 2014 draft performance. They took a big step forward as a team this season, but didn’t see a whole lot of production from their rookie class. We will have to wait and see how Tight-End Eric Ebron and Linebacker Kyle Van Noy move forward in their second season.

Championship NFL teams are built from the ground up. For the Minnesota Vikings, it looks like a solid foundation has been placed after the 2014 draft.

Next: Vikings Chosen for 2015 Hall of Fame Game

Nov 23, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) looks on during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Packers defeated the Vikings 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

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