The Grades Are in for the Vikings Selection of Christian Darrisaw Apr 29, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Christian Darrisaw (Virginia Tech) with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell over video call after being selected by the Minnesota Vikings as the number 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft at First Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Dustin BakerApr 30, 2021
The mystery surrounding the Minnesota Vikings 14th overall pick is officially solved.
For months, pundits and fans speculated that general manager Rick Spielman would trade up, trade down, pick a quarterback, draft an EDGE rusher, go with an offensive lineman, etc. About two of those “what ifs” were true.
Vikings, after trading down, pick Darrisaw in first round of NFL draft
Vikings, after trading down, pick Christian Darrisaw in first round of the NFL draft Selecting at No. 23, the Vikings fill a hole on their offensive line with the tackle from Virginia Tech April 30, 2021 1:26am Text size Copy shortlink:
After trading down nine spots in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, the Vikings picked the offensive tackle they d targeted for much of the spring anyway.
The Vikings made a move to protect quarterback Kirk Cousins, selecting Christian Darrisaw of Virginia Tech with the 23rd pick they got from the Jets.
Pierre, SD, USA / DRGNews
Apr 29, 2021 10:32 PM
EAGAN, MN (AP) The Minnesota Vikings made Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw the 23rd overall selection on Thursday night, after moving down nine spots with a familiar draft-night move to stockpile more picks.
Darrisaw, a late-blooming, athletic blocker at 6-foot-5 and 322 pounds, was a second team All-American in 2020 who can fill a significant need at left tackle after Riley Reiff was released for salary cap savings.
The Vikings had the No. 14 spot on the board, which would have been their highest in six years. They sent it to the New York Jets with one of their four choices in the fourth round (No. 143 overall) to settle at No. 23 which originally came from Seattle in the deal for safety Jamal Adams and add two third-round selections (No. 66 and No. 86).
Copy shortlink:
After trading down nine spots in the first round of the NFL draft on Thursday night, the Vikings picked the offensive tackle they d targeted for much of the spring anyway.
The Vikings made a move to protect quarterback Kirk Cousins, selecting Christian Darrisaw of Virginia Tech with the 23rd pick they got from the Jets.
The Vikings also sent a fourth-round pick to the Jets and gained two more third-round picks. They now have four third-round picks and three fourth-rounders, giving them plenty of options should they choose to move back into the second round on Friday after trading their second-round pick to the Jaguars in the Yannick Ngakoue trade last August.
Minnesota Vikings logo. Courtesy Minnesota Vikings.
By Dave Campbell
EAGAN, Minn. The Minnesota Vikings made Virginia Tech offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw the 23rd overall selection on Thursday night, after moving down nine spots with a familiar draft-night move to stockpile more picks.
Darrisaw, a late-blooming, athletic blocker at 6-foot-5 and 322 pounds, was a second team All-American in 2020 who can fill a significant need at left tackle after Riley Reiff was released for salary cap savings.
The Vikings had the No. 14 spot on the board, which would have been their highest in six years. They sent it to the New York Jets with one of their four choices in the fourth round (No. 143 overall) to settle at No. 23 which originally came from Seattle in the deal for safety Jamal Adams and add two third-round selections (No. 66 and No. 86).