Minnesota Vikings full 2016 NFL Draft picks
By John Buhler
The Minnesota Vikings looked to improve their young, albeit strong corps with their eight 2016 NFL Draft picks. Here’s how Minnesota used their eight picks.
The Minnesota Vikings will again in 2016 be a major player in the NFC North, seeing if they can repeat as division champions. Minnesota needed an explosive possession receiver and got just that in Ole Miss Rebels’ wideout Laquon Treadwell. Here’s how the Vikings decided to use their eight 2016 NFL Draft picks.
- Round 1 (23): Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss
- Round 2 (54): Mackensie Alexander, CB, Clemson
- Round 4 (121): Willie Beavers, OT, Western Michigan
- Round 5 (160): Kentrell Brothers, OLB, Missouri
- Round 6 (180): Mortiz Boehringer, WR, Germany
- Round 6 (188): David Morgan, TE, Texas-San Antonio
- Round 7 (227): Stephen Weatherly, OLB, Vanderbilt
- Round 7 (224):
The Vikings found value in many rounds of the 2016 NFL Draft. Treadwell may not have breakaway speed, but if he can become more sure-handed in possession receiving, he could be the perfect security blanket for Bridgewater in the passing game. Treadwell is untouchable when he has the ball in space.
Alexander had a first-round grade at one point. Seeing him land on Mike Zimmers’s team that usually has great secondary play is a sign that Alexander is a solid scheme fit in the Vikings’ defensive backfield.
Brothers and Weatherly were defensive anchors for their respective SEC East teams the last few years and could very well develop into solid rotational players for the Vikings.
Minnesota also made NFL Draft history by taking Boehringer out of the German Football League, as he is the first truly international player to have been drafted, meaning he never played a snap of college football in the states or in Canada.
With Minnesota being playoff caliber in 2016, the Vikings needed to find great complementary pieces to make their roster even better. Treadwell has huge upside and who knows what the Vikings will be getting in the wide receiver/tight end hybrid that is Boehringer? A solid draft for the Vikings nonetheless.
For more 2016 NFL Draft coverage, please check out our NFL Draft hub page.