2 weeks Ago
The Vikings entered Friday night with a long wait before they were on the clock again during the NFL draft’s second and third rounds. General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah extended the wait to improve Minnesota’s draft capital on Saturday. The Vikings traded back with the Houston Texans, dropping from No.
97 to No. 102, where Minnesota drafted Maryland receiver Tai Felton. For trading back five spots, the Vikings gained an additional fifth-round pick (No.
142 overall) while sending their sixth-round pick (No. 187 overall) to Houston. The Vikings now have picks No.
139 and No. 142 in the fifth round on Saturday. Felton, a 6-foot-1, 183-pound team captain, had a breakout season for the Terrapins, finishing fourth in the FBS with a program-record 96 receptions.
He turned those catches into 1,124 yards and nine touchdowns. Only five receivers ran faster than his 4.37-second 40-yard dash at this year’s NFL scouting combine.
Felton joins a Vikings receiving corps that returns its top three targets — Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor — from last season. Minnesota lost receiver Trent Sherfield, a key special teamer, in free agency and added former Cardinals and Purdue speedster Rondale Moore. The Texans have become a go-to trade partner for the Vikings as this deal marked the fourth trade between the two teams since last year.
The Vikings did not possess their original second-round pick (56th overall) on Friday night, which was first dealt to Houston last year for the Texans’ first-round pick. Minnesota also acquired running back Cam Akers from Houston in the middle of last season. In March, the Vikings traded guard Ed Ingram to the Texans.
Minnesota’s second-rounder was eventually traded three times. The Texans later sent it to Buffalo for receiver Stefon Diggs. On Friday night, the Bills traded the pick to the Bears while moving up in the second round.
The Bears drafted Ozzy Trapilo, an offensive tackle out of Boston College, at No. 56 overall. The Vikings’ original third-round pick (88th overall) went to Jacksonville during last year’s trade up for edge rusher Dallas Turner in the first round.
The Jaguars drafted Tulane cornerback Caleb Ransaw with the pick..
