Minnesota VIkings: Draft Rounds 4-7 highlights
By Tyler Haag
The 2018 NFL draft is complete and after taking an DB and OL in the first two rounds and trading out of the third round, the Minnesota Vikings have taken six additional players you may not have heard of in rounds 4-6. We are going to tell you who they are.
The NFL draft is now over and the Minnesota Vikings have completed their selections, finishing up with eight picks over the seven rounds. The players selected on the final day of the draft are not usually household names, so let’s go through the highlights of the Vikings final six picks and try to make sense of it all.
Round 4, Jalyn Holmes, DE, Ohio State
Jalyn Holmes received a grade of 80.2 in 2017 from Pro Football Focus. For a little context, PFF’s top edge prospect in this class, Harold Landry, was given a grade of 83.9 for his 2017 performance. Holmes was never a full-time starter at Ohio State but is no slouch and will provide depth on defense and special teams and is a possible sleeper starter as a rookie according to Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller.
Round 5, Tyler Conklin, TE, Central Michigan
Pro Football Focus’ 11th ranked TE in this class, Tyler Conklin caught five touchdowns in 2017 after missing the first five games of the season with a Jones fracture, according to Matt Miller. Conklin has the size (6’4, 240) and enough athleticism (38″ vertical leap) to be effective in small roles in the NFL, assuming he can catch the ball. His highlight video sure makes it look like he can.
Next: Minnesota Vikings: Brian O'Neill and more picks
Round 5, Daniel Carlson, K, Auburn
Sigh. Spending a draft pick on a kicker is tough to stomach, especially considering how things went the last time it happened. Not only did the Vikings draft a kicker in Daniel Carlson, they also traded up to do so, sending two sixth round picks to the Jets to move up to take a kicker. A kicker who missed 26% of his kicks in 2017. Drafting a kicker usually means that the guy currently on the roster is in trouble, but given the season Carlson had in 2017 it is very possible Kai Forbath wins the job. A perplexing pick, to say the least.
A very interesting day for Rick Spielman and the Vikings and only time will tell how these players will pan out, but frustration about picking a certain special teams position is hard to argue with.