Vikings Announce Jersey Numbers For 2021 Rookie Draft Class
Let s take a look at the history and aesthetics of these numbers for the Minnesota Vikings 11 drafted rookies.
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May 4, 2021
We already knew a few of them, but now we ve got all of them. The Vikings officially announced the jersey numbers for their entire 11-member 2021 draft class on Tuesday.
Let s go through each one, note some previous Vikings who have held that number, and make a snap reaction based on history and aesthetics.
LT Christian Darrisaw 71
Notable former Vikings: David Dixon, Phil Loadholt, Riley Reiff, Doug Davis
Darrisaw is replacing Reiff as the Vikings left tackle, so it works out for him to take Reiff s old number. Darrisaw wore 77 at Virginia Tech, but that number is retired in Minnesota for the late Korey Stringer, so 71 is the next-best thing. This is a strong choice.
Special teams draw a close look in later rounds of Vikings draft May 1, 2021 7:13pm Text size Copy shortlink:
The Vikings finished the NFL draft on Saturday with an eye on special teams, where at least half of the six players selected in the later rounds can help turn things around.
Last season was dismal for Minnesota s special teams, from misfiring field goals to poor kick coverage and return phases. Coordinator Marwan Maalouf was let go and replaced by Ryan Ficken, who already knows a few of the Vikings late-round picks after interviewing them during the draft process. We did struggle on special teams last year, General Manager Rick Spielman said, but when you have the type of athletes we were able to get in the third day of the draft this year, nine times out of 10 those guys end up playing and performing well on special teams.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) NFL teams typically use much of the third day of the draft for positional depth and long-term projects, with an eye toward players who can contribute and thrive on special teams. This year, the Minnesota Vikings predictably put an extra emphasis on such units. Their special teams were in disarray last season, a stinging reality general manager Rick Spielman fully acknowledged after finalizing their 11-player draft class . Iowa State running back Kene Nwangwu (fourth round) and Iowa wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette (fifth round) highlighted Saturday's six selections, as players bringing exceptional skill as kickoff returners.
The Ringer’s 2021 NFL Draft Team Grades
All seven rounds and 259 picks are in the books. Now it’s time to decide who came out on top. Here are the grades for all 32 teams, from the good to the bad to everything in between.
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We made it. All the months of hype and speculation led to this. The 2021 NFL draft is officially in the books, and the ripple effects from the past few days could define the league for years to come.
Which teams could see the biggest immediate impacts from this rookie class? Which teams best positioned themselves for the future? And which teams could be kicking themselves when all is said and done?