The Minnesota Vikings head into the 2023 NFL draft with five selections including one in each of the first three rounds.
After a strategy of stockpiling draft picks for years, new general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has been utilizing his draft picks as trade chips like he is back on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
Just this offseason, Adofo-Mensah has made four trades involving future selections. The early returns with his tenure have him viewing late-round picks as currency to add inexpensive depth pieces rather than dart throws on players that are true lottery tickets. There is something to that strategy but it has its downfalls.
Luckily for NFL draft fans, mock drafts are a year-round thing instead of just January-April. Ever Sunday night before the primetime game kicks off, The Draft Network releases a new mock draft and Keith Sanchez had this week’s. In it, he had the Vikings selecting Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer.
His analysis on why he has the Vikings taking Mayer has some merit.
“Everyone knows that the Vikings have Justin Jefferson at receiver and Dalvin Cook at running back, but I believe they need another weapon on this offense. With this pick, they draft Michael Mayer, a guy that could work the middle of the field and help balance this offense out.”
Sanchez is right that the Vikings adding a weapon makes a ton of sense moving forward. The tough part about adding a tight end and expecting early production is tough. It is arguably the hardest position to transition to the NFL. If anyone can do it quickly though, it’s going to be Mayer.
His closest comparison is Rob Gronkowski. Now, its not hyperbole, he’s that talented and has an incredibly similar build. He is the best player and most dynamic weapon on the Fighting Irish offense and he win in every possible way.
The best tight end in the draft class and arguably in the country, Mayer would be an excellent get but the questions of if he would be effective right away have me leaning towards not wanting to make this selection.
