2 weeks Ago
EAGAN, Minn. — Not too long ago, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah met with the Minnesota Vikings ’ other key decision-makers about this weekend’s NFL Draft . As part of the planning, the general manager wanted to explain his mindset, and to do so, he harkened back to his days as a high school golfer.
He learned back then that to improve, you had to eliminate the major mistakes, the big number on the scorecard. Faced with a shot from behind a tree, don’t try to do the improbable. Play it safe, punch it back into the fairway, take your bogey and move on.
Advertisement The analogy explained his thoughts about trading down on Thursday night. He could move back and recoup some of the draft capital he gave up last year to acquire Dallas Turner, but in doing so, he’d risk losing out on a player the Vikings coveted. That was the strategy, anyway.
Before the Vikings selected Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson with the 24th pick, Adofo-Mensah had the chance to go against his own guardrails to add picks and improve his team’s draft position for the rest of the weekend. But the idea of possibly having to stomach a negative reaction from the most staunch Jackson supporters in the room (if another team drafted the 22-year-old) kept Adofo-Mensah comfortable with the initial vision. “I’ve been approaching this draft from the mindset of: If the play is to hit the ball down the fairway, let’s do that,” Adofo-Mensah said.
“If it’s going to be four picks at four positions we really want — four great character people, four players we want to acquire — let’s go do that and figure everything else out.” Jackson checks countless boxes. He immediately strengthens the team in the trenches, which keeps with the theme of the Vikings’ offseason.
Coach Kevin O’Connell spotlighted the interior of the offensive line just minutes after the brutal playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams. His offseason review cemented the need for a more physical presence, especially in short-yardage run scenarios. O’Connell was granted two additions via free agency in center Ryan Kelly and right guard Will Fries, but Minnesota wasn’t done.
Many of the team’s pre-draft conversations centered on interior offensive linemen. Alabama’s Tyler Booker and North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel provided intrigue. Once the Dallas Cowboys grabbed the former at No.
12, and the Seattle Seahawks scooped the latter at No. 18, the Vikings turned their attention to Jackson as the best available interior offensive lineman. Still, other enticing prospects remained on the Vikings’ board.
Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron, whom the Denver Broncos added at No. 20, possessed the type of versatile skill set defensive coordinator Brian Flores seeks. Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon, whom the Pittsburgh Steelers got at No.
21, could have played all across Flores’ defensive front. Even Texas receiver Matthew Golden, whom the rival Green Bay Packers plucked from the board at No. 23, displayed the separation skills receivers coach Keenan McCardell values.
Advertisement Minnesota’s brass had said from the beginning that it had put itself in the advantageous position of being able to take the best player available. Many draft analysts deemed Michigan cornerback Will Johnson to be that guy, even if there have been questions about a lingering knee injury . Johnson may not be the speediest or most physical cornerback, but his vision and ability to play from depth align with how Minnesota plays defense.
The Vikings’ decision to pass on him and take Jackson speaks to a notable level of conviction. “The idea of Donovan walking into that O-line room that now has some pretty impactful players across the board ..
. that was a goal,” O’Connell said. “Tonight put a stamp on the plan that we set out to accomplish.
” . @D_jack78 's night got a lot better when he got that life-changing call from Minnesota. 💜💛 pic.
twitter.com/dcKU4wZJmJ — Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 25, 2025 Overhauling all three interior spots exceeds any early offseason expectation. Recruiting Kelly and Fries may have already gone above and beyond.
Injecting a first-round pick into a lineup that already includes the handsomely paid Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill speaks to the front office’s dedication. On paper, this is a cushy place to be, and O’Connell even said as much. It is now incumbent upon both him and young quarterback J.
J. McCarthy to make the magic come to life. Jackson said Thursday night that he met McCarthy on his top-30 visit to Minnesota this spring.
The in-person time strengthened O’Connell’s feelings about what the Vikings could be getting. As he did with Jordan Addison a couple of years ago, O’Connell sat with Jackson and watched film. They talked through Jackson’s matchups with fellow first-rounders like Penn State’s Abdul Carter, Michigan’s Mason Graham and Harmon.
O’Connell asked about Jackson’s development, going from a five-star prospect from Houston to a trusty vet for the national-champion Buckeyes. Advertisement As if the consistency and athletic traits weren’t enough, Jackson validated the positive feelings about his character with comments about sliding out to left tackle during Ohio State’s postseason run. Jackson had never played the position.
He knew he could be affecting his draft stock by playing out of position. That didn’t concern him as much as winning. O’Connell cross-checked the Vikings’ evaluation in conversations with Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, whom O’Connell worked with in 2016.
Kelly coached the San Francisco 49ers, and Day held the quarterbacks coach job. Both men confirmed Jackson’s makeup, further stamping the team’s plans. Did Adofo-Mensah have any reservations about taking a guard in the first round? He didn’t act like it Thursday night.
He cited the rising dollar value for interior offensive linemen who become free agents. “I don’t know that the market is going guard/tackle anymore,” Adofo-Mensah said. “It’s just: ‘Protector.
’” And really, that’s what the expectation should be for Jackson, especially early on: a mobile athlete who limits negative plays. Do that, and the Vikings will recall this night like a nice soft drive down the fairway. Nothing outlandish, nothing too out of the ordinary — but a selection that keeps you in the game as you continue moving forward.
(Photo courtesy of Ohio State athletics).
