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The Minnesota Vikings will almost definitely make other changes in the 2023 offseason. Recall that they still have a lot of vacancies on their depth chart to fill. Of course, they can do so through the draft. Yet, the Vikings have a few rookie prospects that may be labeled as “traps.” Here we'll look at the rookie prospects that the Minnesota Vikings must avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Vikings are facing a very difficult situation heading into the 2023 NFL Draft. They have one of the lowest amounts of draft capital in the league. Only the Denver Broncos and Miami Dolphins have less overall capital than the Vikings, who only have five picks. These include one on Day 1 and one on Day 2. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has retooled the defense, but the departure of Adam Thielen has created a significant gap in the receiver position. With only two picks inside the top 100, the Vikings need to make the most of their selections if they hope to improve from last season. Additionally, they have the least amount of salary cap space remaining in the NFL.
On Day 2 of the draft, the Vikings only have one pick. This was obtained from Detroit as part of their trade for TJ Hockenson. Meanwhile, their lone other Day 2 pick was traded in the previous year's draft to the Cleveland Browns for Akayleb Evans. In the later rounds, the Vikings traded away their original sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans for a seventh-round pick and Ross Blacklock. Afterward, they traded that seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for Jalen Reagor. Lastly, the Vikings' original seventh-round pick was sent to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Stephen Weatherly. With such limited draft capital, the Vikings will need to carefully select their picks to bolster their chances for next season.
Let’s look at the players that the Vikings must avoid in the 2023 NFL Draft.
1. Noah Sewell
Noah Sewell is a promising prospect with desirable physical attributes. He possesses large size and above-average athleticism for his position. Although he mainly operates as the MIKE backer in the Oregon football defense, he is versatile and can also play in the EDGE. He can also do coverage in the slot. As a run defender, Sewell excels at stopping the run and shows remarkable strength and hand skills in displacing blockers. He is a powerful tackler and has a knack for forcing fumbles. However, he tends to miss tackles as he does not often wrap his arms around players. While he has average eyes and instincts, Sewell has the potential to make big plays when he recognizes the play.
That said, Sewell's just has average agility. He can also struggle with changing direction. This makes him vulnerable to cutbacks. His sideline-to-sideline range is also only slightly above average, and he is better suited to playing in the box. In coverage, he displays good zone coverage skills. However, his man coverage skills against tight ends are not his strong suit. Instead, Sewell's best performance in the passing game comes from blitzing off the edge. Is that enough for the Vikings to consider him for their lone Day 1 pick? Absolutely not.
LB Noah Sewell pic.twitter.com/9eZRB0pwXi
— Taylor Bisciotti (@TaylorBisciotti) March 14, 2023
2. Jack Campbell
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Jack Campbell possesses a throwback build that makes him an ideal downhill second-level defender in a league where linebackers are getting smaller. His physicality and ability to navigate congested areas to locate ball carriers are impressive. Furthermore, he has demonstrated improvements in his coverage skills. Recall that he had strong performances in 2022, showcasing his knowledge of spacing and route squeezing. For sure, Campbell is a competent tackler with good hitting power and control. He would be an invaluable special teams member.
While Campbell is a decent athlete, his range is not top-tier. This makes it unlikely that he would perform well in man coverage. His high-hipped build also limits his ability to change directions and transition smoothly. Additionally, although Iowa gave him numerous opportunities to blitz and shoot gaps, he often lacked any plan to overcome blocks.
Overall, Campbell's strengths lie in his physicality and ability to defend the run. However, his limitations in range and ability to beat blocks in the blitz may hinder his performance in the NFL. He should go no earlier than the third round. That means the Vikings should only consider him if he is still available at No. 87.
1. Henry To'o To'o
Henry To’o To’o is a linebacker known for his intelligence, physicality, and instinctiveness. He excels as a tackler, showcasing great mobility and speed when moving laterally. His flexibility also allows him to make strong tackles while also being an effective leader on the field. He can run a defense efficiently as the middle linebacker in a 4-3 or 4-2-5 formation. Additionally, he is skilled at playing the slot and WILL linebacker positions. This versatility makes him an asset in pass coverage.
However, To’o To’o needs to work on his impact when it comes to rushing the quarterback. He has a tendency to give up on the rush and lose one-on-one matchups when facing running backs in protection. In crunch time, he also sometimes lacks the competitive edge needed to make crucial plays. Although he performs well in space, he struggles with tight ends and offensive linemen at the second level. While he consistently produces tackles, he sometimes misses easy ones in confined spaces. To’o To’o projects to go in the third round. As such, there's no way the Vikings should consider him on Day 1.
