How do you grade the Vikings' 2022 draft?

Minnesota Vikings: B-

This is one of the hardest classes to evaluate. New GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah executed six trades — two up and four back. The Vikings went into the draft with eight picks and came out with 10. But it’s fair to wonder whether they made the right moves. At No. 12, the Vikings could have taken someone like Kyle Hamilton, Jameson Williams or Jordan Davis. Instead they moved back to 32, and they didn’t get great value in return.

The Vikings did well with their Day 2 trade back with the Packers. But according to The Athletic’s Chad Graff, Adofo-Mensah wanted to make the trade with the Packers at the end of the first round. Others in the organization disagreed, and Minnesota stayed put. Maybe that’s just good collaboration, but it’s certainly worth noting, especially considering that many of the decisions from the Vikings’ new regime have mirrored decisions from the previous regime. In other words, who’s really making the calls here?

I like Cine a lot. He’s a physical safety, an excellent athlete, and he produced at Georgia. No issue at all with that pick. And if the Vikings were comfortable with Booth’s medicals, that could be a home run pick. The Ingram selection was a head-scratcher. Ingram was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault involving a minor in 2018. The charges were dismissed a year later, and he was reinstated at LSU. Ingram was 114th on Brugler’s board and 101 on Hasan’s consensus board. The Vikings took him at 59.

The Vikings didn’t do anything egregious. They drafted for volume, and their top two picks could end up being great. But zooming out, it’s fair to wonder if much has changed in Minnesota despite the turnover at coach and GM this offseason.

18. Minnesota Vikings

Favorite pick: Lewis Cine, S, Georgia

The Vikings traded away from an opportunity to draft Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton, but they still landed one of the best safeties in the draft. Cine is a do-everything safety and on a loaded Georgia defense last season, he led the team in tackles and passes defended. I want to see him back more plays on the ball, but he is an enforcer vs. the run and an ascending talent in coverage.

Day 3 pick who could surprise: Akayleb Evans, CB, Missouri

Though Minnesota was able to nab a sliding Andrew Booth because of injury concerns, they also landed a steal in the fourth round with Evans. Only one interception in five seasons is bothersome, but there are only so many cornerback prospects with his blend of size (6-feet-2, 32-inch arms) and speed (4.46 40-yard dash). Evans has starting upside.