Weeks before Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah was set to make his initial draft pick on Thursday, he heeded advice from previous teams that turned him down for their GM openings.
During past interviews, Adofo-Mensah, the NFL's first general manager from a purely analytical background, said he was told he needed to drop the spreadsheets for a minute and hit the road. Gain traditional scouting experience. Driven by a stated desire to lead this Vikings front office empathetically, he did so this spring. Adofo-Mensah put himself in the scout's shoes by visiting a West Coast university, presumably for a pro day, as part of his preparation for this week's NFL Draft.
"Sat in my little cubicle, not at my desk in my perfect environment," Adofo-Mensah said. "I'm looking at different things, trying to talk to coaches, support staff, trying to get different information, and it just hits you how hard that job is. It's unbelievably difficult."
