Minnesota Vikings select Harrison Smith, Grade C

This was a desperation pick by the Minnesota Vikings. Harrison Smith is not a 1^st-round prospect, and only comes off the board here because of the significant dropoff in talent at safety once he’s off the board. And while safety was definitely a need, the Vikings had more crucial holes to fill.

I also don’t like to see teams like the Vikings trade up. When you’re in full rebuilding mode, there’s no reason to trade up unless it’s for a difference maker at a critical position such as quarterback.

About the author

Ryan McCrystal

Ryan launched DraftAce in 2004. His Top 100 board is currently ranked 1st out of 20 publications in The Huddle Report's five-year averages. His mock draft is ranked 10th out of 32 competitors.You can also find Ryan's weekly Heisman Predictor series on ESPN Insider every fall.