[OC] Grading Every Possible 18th Pick

We love looking at draft grades after the NFL Draft is said and done, but what about grading before the draft happens? That's either next-level or incredibly nerdy and pointless! Here's how I'll grade every possible pick that the Vikings will make 18th - and yes, grades will change if they move up or down. Let's get started:



2019 NFL Draft - Grades on Vikings' Potential Picks



OTs Jonah Williams, Jawaan Taylor, or Andre Dillard - A+



This would be the best case scenario - getting a guy who can man the LT position. With NFL left tackles getting expensive and being hard to find, targeting one in the first round is ideal. Williams might end up at guard, but he's considered close to being a "sure thing". Taylor has a great balance of being a good pass protector and a road blocker for the run game. Dillard is a very good pass protector, but wasn't a great run blocker at Washington State. Dillard is easily the best fit for the Vikings new zone blocking scheme, however.





G Chris Lindstrom / C Garrett Bradbury / G/T Dalton Risner - B



Lindstrom and Bradbury are borderline first rounders who will likely get picked near the end of the first round. Both are great fits for the Vikings' O-line scheme and would be able to start day one at their respective position. It would be wise to move down first before taking one of these guys.





G Cody Ford / C Erik McCoy / other OL - D



Ford and McCoy are 2nd to 3rd round talents in my book and would be clear reaches. Not only that, but they wouldn't fit in well with the new scheme. Other guys like Greg Little and Kaleb McGary should be taken in later rounds.




LB Devin White - A+



White is a phenomenal athlete who projects to be the next Luke Kuechly / Bobby Wagner and would be worth selecting here... Barr and Kendricks don't belong in the same conversation as him. There's no way he should be available.



LB Devin Bush - D-



Bush is a potential bust in my humble opinion, as undersized LBs (he's 5' 11") usually don't make it in the NFL. Kendricks is already fitting the archetype of a quick LB who's on the smaller side. This pick would make no sense with Kendricks starting the first year of his 4 year extension this season.



Any other LB - F





TE T. J. Hockenson - B



Hockenson is going to be really good and would make for a fine replacement to Rudolph. He likely won't be available and finding a successor to Rudolph seems like a luxury we can't afford with such a bad O-line at the moment.



Any other TE - F





QB Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins - A



Yeah... this is a weird one, and I don't see either QB being available here, but if it somehow happened... you go for the franchise QB. The Vikings likely aren't going to get a shot at drafting a franchise QB for several years (2021, maybe? who knows.) and having a young QB sit on the bench for two years isn't a bad idea IMO. There's no way Spielman does this, however.



Any other QB - F





DT Quinnen Williams, ED Nick Bosa, ED Josh Allen, DT Ed Oliver - A+



If an elite talent falls to you, take him. None of these guys will, however.





ED Montez Sweat - C-



Sweat was expected to be a top 10 pick after a great combine, but a heart condition has teams cautious. I'm not sure if taking a big risk like this would be a good idea, but it could pay off. But this pick could end up being the worst of any pick in this draft if he's forced into retirement like Nick Fairley was.



DT Jeffery Simmons - D



Simmons is also a top 10 talent, but blew his ACL in February and has off-the-field problems. I usually steer clear from guys with bad character, and the Vikings should let another team take this risk. He won't help our 2019 Super Bowl run very much, as I doubt he'll be 100% at any point during the 2019 season.


ED/DT Rashan Gary - D-



Gary has immense physical talent but never lived up to it at Michigan. He's also a tweener in a 4-3 defense - he played DT at college, but is too small to play there in the NFL. The bust potential is too high for my liking, so save this sort of pick for the 2nd or 3rd round, please.



DT Christian Wilkins / Jerry Tillery - C-



These two are fine players who will likely end up as good interior D-linemen, but the Vikings should be thinking O-line here. We have the best defensive line coach in the NFL (Andre Patterson), so why not develop lower-tier guys and focus our higher picks at positions we have trouble with?



ED Brian Burns / Clelin Ferrell - C-



Similarly to Wilkins and Tillery, these two would fill a need as Everson Griffen is probably in his last year here. But the Vikes have historically had success taking pass rushers in rounds 3 and 4, so I'd wait until then.



DT Dexter Lawrence / Dre'Mont Jones - D-



Why are you selecting a run-stuffing only DT when Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen are under contract? You need a interior pass rusher to replace Sheldon Richardson, not another run stuffer!



Other DL - F



I don't like any of the other guys here, as they'd be reaches for positions that we shouldn't be desperately swinging at.


Any HB, CB, S, or other position - F



There is zero reason to draft from one of these positions in the 1st round. Why, you ask? It's rather simple to me: there isn't a single DB or HB that is a consensus 1st rounder in my book, and every single one would be a reach at #18. The Vikings are also fine at all these positions, and while they could use depth at those spots, well, that's what the later rounds are for. Don't get cute and burn a draft pick on a 2nd round talent at a position you don't currently need.


Any WR - F



The WR group is deep this year, and there aren't any great 1st round WRs out there. We're paying Thielen and Diggs $30M per year as our starters, so wait 'til a later round to find a tertiary option.



Who do you want the Vikings to pick tomorrow? Which selection will trigger you? Let me know!