After buying and selling again to No. 32 choose, Vikings choose Georgia security Lewis Cine in NFL draft

The Vikings traded down 20 spots and chosen Georgia security Lewis Cine with the final choose within the first spherical of the NFL draft on Thursday evening.

Cine grew to become the fifth defender from Georgia’s nationwide championship group drafted within the first spherical, heading to the Vikings after the Jaguars chosen cross rusher Travon Walker with the primary choose, the Eagles took defensive deal with Jordan Davis thirteenth general and the Packers used each of their first-rounders on Bulldogs defenders (linebacker Quay Walker and defensive deal with Devonte Wyatt). Georgia grew to become the primary group in NFL historical past to have 5 defensive gamers chosen within the first spherical.

Within the 6-foot-2 Cine, the Vikings added a hard-hitting security to their protection with Harrison Smith heading into his eleventh season within the league and second-year man Cam Bynum attempting to win the job subsequent to Smith after Xavier Woods left in free company. Cine broke up 9 passes in his remaining yr at Georgia to earn third-team All-America honors, and ran a 4.37-second 40-yard sprint on the mix.

“The man made lots of performs on actually the perfect protection in school soccer,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell stated. “Once we requested [the Georgia players], ‘Which one among your teammates would you like to convey with you?’ Lewis Cine’s identify got here up loads.”

He stated the Vikings may have a look at methods to place Cine, Smith and Bynum on the sphere on the similar time, including, “There’s lots of issues you are able to do to be dynamic on protection.”

With gamers like Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie, Notre Dame security Kyle Hamilton and Florida State cross rusher Jermaine Johnson nonetheless accessible, the Vikings traded again 20 spots from No. 12, getting picks Nos. 32, 34 and 66 from the Lions in trade for the twelfth general choose and the Vikings’ second-rounder (No. 46 general).

Basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah stated “there was a thought” to creating a choose at No. 12, however the Vikings leaned on their pre-draft course of to make the commerce, finally taking a participant the GM stated the Vikings had pegged between picks No. 13 and 19.

He stated the Vikings acquired calls concerning the thirty second choose, including “there was a curveball proper on the finish” earlier than they determined to choose Cine.

The Lions picked Alabama broad receiver Jameson Williams with the Vikings’ choice. The transfer gave Minnesota three picks on Day 2 of the draft. Adofo-Mensah stated the Vikings had checked out Williams, amongst others, with the twelfth choose, however determined the commerce supply from the Lions was a web optimistic.

Draft charts that measure the worth of every choose had been divided on whether or not the Vikings gained the commerce, or whether or not they need to have gotten extra from their division rival in trade for the prospect to maneuver up 20 spots.

The thirty second choose — which the Lions obtained from the Tremendous Bowl champion Rams in final yr’s Matthew Stafford commerce — made it the primary time the Vikings had the ultimate alternative within the first spherical since 2014, once they traded again into the primary spherical to pick out Teddy Bridgewater.

In Adofo-Mensah’s first draft as common supervisor, he orchestrated a maneuver that had change into acquainted to Vikings followers in Rick Spielman’s remaining drafts: buying and selling again.

It was the third yr in a row the Vikings traded again within the first spherical. They moved again six spots with their second first-round choose in 2020, taking cornerback Jeff Gladney thirty first general. Final yr, they moved again 9 spots from No. 14 to No. 23 earlier than choosing left deal with Christian Darrisaw.

Followers on the Vikings’ draft get together at U.S. Financial institution Stadium initially reacted to the transfer with confusion, after which irritation once they noticed the group had moved again to the ultimate alternative of the primary spherical.

Adofo-Mensah, who got here to the NFL after engaged on Wall Road, stated at his pre-draft information convention on Tuesday he thinks “quantity is basically essential” within the draft — although he added the info would not assist the concept of stockpiling late-round picks on the expense of a first-rounder.

The transfer, then, may need been pushed by an effort so as to add extra picks within the prime 100 decisions, an thought that’s typically supported by knowledge.

“You’ve got acquired a giant group and you have depth wanted and you have issues you have to fill out, so I feel quantity is basically essential,” Adofo-Mensah stated Tuesday. “Now, I’d push that no matter chart anyone is utilizing, there is no quantity of seventh-round picks that can equal the worth of a primary choose. You possibly can do this with a thousand seventh-round picks and that is not going to equal the worth as a result of there is a specialness that comes with that first-round choose that is not replaceable very simply.

“These are issues you have to go back-and-forth with and consider in your thoughts. It isn’t a simple arithmetic equation. I really like these conversations now as a GM as a result of I was one of many folks constructing these charts, and I type of chortle with folks, ‘I do not know. Let’s simply discuss this and use these [charts] as a backboard, however let’s discuss this and type of perceive the dynamics that go forth.'”