How Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's first 3 NFL Drafts can help us predict who will become Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is about to enter his fourth NFL Draft. While it's still a small sample size across the board, there are some interesting signals that his process has given us. One of the big ones has been the usage of top-30 visits. Over the course of his first three drafts […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Dec 8, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is about to enter his fourth NFL Draft. While it's still a small sample size across the board, there are some interesting signals that his process has given us. One of the big ones has been the usage of top-30 visits.

Over the course of his first three drafts (22 selections), the Vikings have drafted five players who have taken a top-30 visit with the Vikings.

  • DT Esezi Otomewo-2022
  • WR Jordan Addison-2023
  • CB Mekhi Blackmon-2023
  • RB DeWayne McBride-2023
  • EDGE Dallas Turner-2024

Along with that, the Vikings have also selected multiple players who have had teammates take a top-30 visit to Minnesota.

  • 2022: Illinois OT Vederian Lowe (S Kerby Joseph)
  • 2023: LSU S Jay Ward and DT Jaquelin Roy (OL Anthony Bradford, CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse)
  • 2024: Alabama K Will Reichard (EDGE Dallas Turner, CB Terrion Arnold), Oregon CB Khyree Jackson (DT Taki Taimani)

Lastly, the UDFAs the Vikings have brought in have been with the Vikings as well

  • 2022: CB Kalon Barnes, EDGE Zach McCloud
  • 2023: OL Henry Byrd, OL Colby Sorsdol, DT Calvin Avery
  • 2024: DT Taki Taimani, EDGE Gabe Murphy, OL Spencer Rolland
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Minnesota Vikings top 30 NFL Draft visits are somewhat predictive

With the above information, it gives us a lot of interesting data to project forward with. 18 draft picks and undrafted free agents have made their way to the Vikings over those three years, meaning there are some predictive elements to how they handle the NFL Draft process.

These are the players that the Vikings have hosted (in bold) and their teammates who could potentially join the Vikings next weekend.

  • Arkansas State: C Jacob Bayer
  • Arizona: RB Jacory Croskey-Merrit, OL Jonah Savaiinaea (Tetairoa McMillan)
  • East Carolina: CB Shavon Revel Jr.
  • Elon: WR Chandler Brayboy
  • Georgia: DT Nazir Stackhouse, DT Warren Brinson, DT Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, TE Benjamin Yurosek (S Malaki Starks, EDGE Mykel Williams, EDGE Jalon Walker, OG Tate Ratledge, C Jared Wilson, G Dylan Fairchild, RB Trevor Etienne, LB Smael Mondon Jr.)
  • Iowa State: OL Jalen Travis (WR Jaylin Noel, WR Jayden Higgins, CB Darien Porter)
  • Kentucky: DB Zion Childress (CB Maxwell Hairston, DL Deone Walker)
  • Michigan: RB Kalel Mullings (RB Donovan Edwards, TE Colston Loveland, CB Will Johnson, DT Kenneth Grant, DT Mason Graham, EDGE Josiah Stewart)
  • Minnesota: QB Max Brosmer, OL Aireontae Ersery, LB Cody Lindenberg (WR Daniel Jackson, EDGE Jah Joyner, CB Justin Walley)
  • Northern Iowa: OL Jared Penning
  • Ohio State: OL Donovan Jackson (WR Emeka Egbuka, OT Josh Simmons, C Seth McLaughin, RB TreVeyon Henderson, RB Quinshon Judkins, S Lathan Ransom, DT Tyleik Williams, EDGE JT Tuimoloau, EDGE Jack Sawyer, QB Will Howard, CB Denzel Burke, CB Jordan Hancock, LB Cody Simon)
  • Oregon: DT Derrick Harmon (DT Jamaree Caldwell, LB Jeffrey Bassa, OT Josh Conerly Jr., EDGE Jordan Burch, WR Tez Johnson, TE Terrance Ferguson, OT Ajani Cornelius, CB Jabbar Muhammad, QB Dillon Gabriel)
  • Purdue: OL Marcus Mbow (EDGE Nic Scourton)
  • SMU: RB Brashard Smith (EDGE Elijah Roberts)
  • Syracuse: TE Oronde Gadsden II (QB Kyle McCord, RB LeQuint Allen, EDGE Fadil Diggs)
  • UTSA: CB Zah Frazier
  • Western Michigan: CB Bilhal Kone

Based on history, three or more of the above players are likely to join the Vikings, which can end up helping us try to guess who will end up a member of the Purple and Gold.

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