The offseason is heating up for the Minnesota Vikings and with several releases, it’s becoming more clear what the Vikings need to compete in 2023.
Cornerback is still the most glaring need on the Vikings roster but wide receiver isn’t far behind. The release of Adam Thielen leaves a gaping hole in the offense and although K.J. Osborn could step up into the No. 2 role, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Vikings to take a receiver in this year’s draft.
Here’s a look at some names to know as the Vikings try to find a complement to Justin Jefferson.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
There were a lot of concerns about Smith-Njigba’s athleticism coming into the NFL Scouting Combine but it appears that he has cemented himself as one of the top receivers in this year’s draft.
Smith-Njigba posted strong numbers at the combine with a 3.93 second time in the shuttle drill and a 6.87 time in the 3-cone drill. While he didn’t run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, his combine testing laid the groundwork for a high relative athletic score (RAS) that could boost his draft stock.
New Jaxon Smith-Njigba #RAS just dropped. Told y'all he was gonna test fine. (With correction)https://t.co/RrcrPi3mcG #RAS pic.twitter.com/3uVGeFjJRh
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 5, 2023
The 21-year-old definitely has the production of a top pick, posting 95 catches for 1,606 yards and nine touchdowns in 2021 but played in just three games last year due to a hamstring injury. Another knock on Smith-Njigba is that 88.6 percent of his snaps came in the slot although he averaged 3.87 yards per route run on those snaps – third in the nation among qualifying receivers.
That could sound familiar to Vikings fans who wondered if Jefferson could play on the outside after he logged 98.3 percent of his snaps in the slot during his final season at LSU. (2019). But while Jefferson had a strong season playing on the outside in 2018 (54 rec., 875 yards, 6 TD), we don’t have that data point for Smith-Njigba.
That will make Smith-Njigba’s pro day, which will take place on Mar. 22, key to where he’ll fall. If he posts a solid time in the 40-yard dash, he could wind up with a similar RAS to Jefferson, which makes him an intriguing candidate for the Vikings in the first round.
Jordan Addison
If the Vikings are looking for a wide receiver, they’ll want someone that can run routes and stretch the defense. If they’re taking a receiver in the first round, Addison could be the best of both worlds.
Addison broke on the scene in 2021 when he caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns on the way to winning the Biltenikoff Award as college football’s top receiver. His numbers took a hit after transferring from Pittsburgh to USC (for a boatload of NIL money) but a lot of that was due to Lincoln Riley’s tendency to rely on short passes and screens.
At his best, Addison averaged 2.94 yards per route run (23rd among qualifiers in 2021) and was a key contributor to Kenny Pickett’s ascension into the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Addison’s combine testing didn’t go well as he posted average numbers before leaving with a back injury, but he figures to be one of the top receivers in this year’s class.
Jalin Hyatt
One of the biggest flaws of the Vikings’ offense was their ability to take the top off the defense. With speed to burn Hyatt can definitely go deep, but it remains to be seen if he can grasp the finer points of being a receiver.
Hyatt dominated at Tennessee last year, catching 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. Highlighted by a demolition of the Alabama secondary, Hyatt’s campaign led him to win the 2022 Biletnikoff Award but there are still some questions.
Hyatt’s route tree exclusively came from the slot and head coach Josh Heupel asked him to run go routes to take advantage of his elite speed. Unlike 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams, Hyatt also has issues going after the ball in contested situations, which makes him more of a niche prospect.
With a 4.41-second time in the 40-yard dash that was disappointing compared to the 4.3-second time he posted in high school, Hyatt’s stock may have dropped, but if the Vikings can develop his game, he could be the deep target this offense needs.
Quentin Johnston
While Hyatt’s combine performance was disappointing, Johnston looked like a physical specimen ready to be unleashed.
Johnston didn’t run the 40-yard dash in Indianapolis, but he recorded a 40.5-inch vertical and an 11-foot-2-inch broad jump that had scouts drooling. With rumored 4.4 speed and a 6-foot-3, 208-pound frame, Johnston has the frame of an alpha receiver but it didn’t play out that way in his final season at TCU.
Johnston caught 60 passes for 1,069 yards last season but just six of Max Duggan’s 32 touchdown passes. In addition, Johnston had eight drops, raising questions about his 9 5/8-inch hands.
Still, Johnston is a dynamic weapon that could be a factor in any offense. If the Vikings believe in the tools, he would be a fine pick – especially with the 24th overall pick in the draft.
Zay Flowers
Smaller receivers are making a bigger impact in the NFL and it could lead Flowers to Minnesota.
At 5-foot-9 and 182 pounds, Flowers’s frame naturally draws questions but he has plenty of athleticism to make up for it. With a 4.42-second time in the 40-yard dash and superb route running, Flowers is a three-level receiver that can win in many situations.
The problem is that Flowers has very questionable hands. Flowers was fifth in the nation with nine drops last season and with a small catch radius, his ability to get the ball in contested situations is an issue.
Those concerns didn’t stop him from producing at Boston College, however, as he caught 78 passes for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns. At the very least, Flowers should be able to create more big-play opportunities for an offense that was lacking them one year ago.
