Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been in charge of two Minnesota Vikings drafts and of the 16 players he’s selected 13 remain on the team after the 2023-24 roster was announced Tuesday.
The Vikings took Lewis Cine, Andrew Booth Jr., Ed Ingram, Brian Asamoah, Akayleb Evans, Esezi Otomewo, Ty Chandler, Vederian Lowe, Jalen Nailor and Nick Muse in 2022. Only Otomewo, who was cut Tuesday, and Lowe, who was traded to the Patriots on Sunday, aren’t on the current 53-man roster.
Ingram is the starting right guard, Evans is one of the top three corners on the team while Asamoah could be a starting inside linebacker and Chandler gets a ton of action as the backup running back. Nailor made the team despite being a sixth-round pick and Muse is one of four tight ends on the roster after being drafted in the seventh round.
Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings had six picks this year and the only member of the ’23 draft class not on the 53-man roster is seventh-round running back DeWayne McBride. Wide receiver Jordan Addison and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon will have big roles while fourth-round safety Jay Ward and fifth-rounders, quarterback Jaren Hall and defensive tackle Jaquelin Roy, learn behind veterans.
None of the 16 picks have developed into stars just yet, but the jury is still out on the likes of Cine and Booth Jr., whose rookie season was destroyed by injuries. Addison has looked like a star in camp and Blackmon could be a premiere corner in the NFC North for years to come.
Where there is no questioning Adofo-Mensah and his scouting team’s eye for talent is the 2023 undrafted free agents who made the team. Having one UDFA make a roster is common, but to have three from the same class earn a spot is incredible and that’s exactly what happened this year with linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., edge rusher Andre Carter II and cornerback/special teams ace Najee Thompson.
Add punter Ryan Wright, who was undrafted before signing with the Vikings last year, and there are four UDFAs signed by Adofo-Mensah on the 2023-24 team.
Meanwhile, there are 17 players on the roster who come from ex-GM Rick Spielman’s drafts, including seven from a heralded 2020 class headlined by Justin Jefferson. In fact, 10 projected starters were picked by Spielman.
- 2012: Harrison Smith
- 2013: None
- 2014: None
- 2015: Danielle Hunter
- 2016: None
- 2017: None
- 2018: Brian O’Neill
- 2019: Garrett Bradbury, Alexander Mattison, Oli Udoh
- 2020: Justin Jefferson, Ezra Cleveland, DJ Wonnum, Troy Dye, KJ Osborn, Blake Brandel, Josh Metellus
- 2021: Christian Darrisaw, Patrick Jones II, Kene Nwangwu, Cam Bynum
If Cine and Booth Jr. don’t work out long term, it’s an ugly mark on Adofo-Mensah’s record. But if Pace Jr. or Asamoah turns into a star inside linebacker while Addison and Blackmon become solid starters or better, then it will also balance out and make the first time GM look pretty good.
