The Minnesota Vikings selected Irv Smith Jr. with their second-round pick and if he pans out anything like the player that NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein compared him to, the team looks to have gotten themselves a steal.
After a strong junior season with the Alabama Crimson Tide, Smith declared for the draft and leading up to the draft, Zierlein compared him to Ben Watson.
Smith is still green in terms of overall experience, which shows up in run-blocking and route-running, but he has plenty of talent and is likely to get much better in both areas. He has combination tight end talent but really flashes as a move blocker at fullback or wingback spots. His buildup speed sets him apart as a big, field-stretching option and once he gets rolling after the catch. O.J. Howard was bigger, and a better athlete, but like Howard, Smith offers Pro Bowl potential as a well-rounded tight end prospect.
During Watson's career, he was a big bodied tight end who was a matchup nightmare for opposing teams. In 195 career games, he hauled in 530 receptions for 5,885 yards and 44 touchdowns.
The Vikings have Kyle Rudolph currently, who is solid in the passing game but doesn't do great in open space, something Smith has shown to be able to do. Rudolph only has one year left on his contract and if Smith shows enough as a rookie, the team could decide to move on from Rudolph which would open up some much-needed cap space.
Only time will tell what Smith will turn into, but the fans have to be excited about what can be in a few years.
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