Tag: Mekhi Blackmon

Grading the Minnesota Vikings’ 2023 rookie draft class

With their rookie seasons under their belt, let’s revisit the Minnesota Vikings’ 2023 NFL draft and hand out some rookie grades.

The 2023 season for the Minnesota Vikings was the ultimate rollercoaster ride. Not even just week-to-week, but seemingly quarter-by-quarter and even series-to-series. You never knew what you were going to get from this iteration of the Vikings on any given day, and it made for some wild moments.

The season may not have ended the way the team, or the fans, wanted, but that disappointment shouldn’t overshadow the many good things that happened this year, least of all the many great contributions from the team’s rookie class.

There are a number of different ways to build a successful franchise in the NFL, but still the prevailing thought process is that it’s best to utilize the draft to build your base, and to supplement that base through free agency, trades, and the like.

Over the past few years, the Vikings have used the draft well to build up their base, including nabbing arguably the best wide receiver in football just a few short years ago when taking Justin Jefferson.

That success in the NFL draft continued in 2023, with the Vikings getting some major contributions from a number of their selections. Perhaps even more impressive, arguably their best rookie this season came in the form of someone who wasn’t drafted at all – instead being a true diamond-in-the-rough as an undrafted free agent.

With that as our backdrop, let’s revisit the 2023 Minnesota Vikings NFL draft class and hand out some grades now that their first season is officially behind them.

2023 season: Minnesota Vikings rookie of the year

Who was the Minnesota Vikings rookie of the year? Our staff made their picks

The 2023 National Football League season is over for the Minnesota Vikings and now it’s time to reflect on what was and what could have been.

The Vikings had quite the roller coaster ride this season. After starting 1-4, they lost wide receiver Justin Jefferson and went on a five-game winning streak and won six out of their next eight games. They ultimately lost their final four to finish the season 7-10.

As we reflect back on the season that was for the Vikings, we as a staff took a look at it in multiple ways by handing out awards in different categories.

Here are our choices for Vikings rookie of the year.

2 Vikings make PFF’s all-rookie team

Blackmon and Pace Jr. made the PFF all rookie team

After a poor showing from the 2022 rookie class, the 2023 class for the Minnesota Vikings performed significantly better. They even had two of their players make the Pro Football Focus all rookie team in cornerback Mekhi Blackmon and inside linebacker Ivan Pace Jr.

PFF’s Dalton Wasserman had nice things to say about both Pace and Blackmon but especially the former.

One of two undrafted players on this list, Pace has been the perfect fit for Brian Flores’ defense in Minnesota. His 77.2 overall PFF grade leads all qualified rookie linebackers and ranks 17th in the league.

Pace’s trademark blitzing ability has carried over from his days at the University of Cincinnati. His 22.9% pass-rush win rate is the second highest among 85 linebackers with at least 20 pass-rush snaps this season.

It’s amazing how well Pace played as an undrafted free agent but he came into the right place with Brian Flores as the defensive coordinator. He knows how to use players with unique skill sets and maximizes them.

Blackmon was drafted in the third round and thrived in the system. He finished third among rookie cornerbacks in coverage grade at 71.7. With the Vikings struggles at the position, hitting on Blackmon was a big win.

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Vikings release first injury report for Week 18 vs. Lions

The Minnesota Vikings released their first injury report on Wednesday afternoon and it has nine players on it.

The Minnesota Vikings released their first injury report ahead of their week 18 matchup against the Detroit Lions and it has nine players on it.

  • CB Byron Murphy Jr. (knee): Did not practice
  • WR Jalen Nailor (concussion): Did not practice
  • RT Brian O’Neill (ankle): Did not practice
  • DE Jaquelin Roy (ankle): Did not practice
  • CB Mekhi Blackmon (shoulder): Limited
  • RG Ed Ingram (shoulder): Limited
  • S Theo Jackson (toe): Limited
  • TE Nick Muse (knee): Limited
  • S Harrison Smith (shoulder): Limited

Once again, both Murphy and Nailor didn’t practice. They have missed the last two and three games, respectively, due to injury. O’Neill being on the report is likey due to wanting to rest his injured ankle, as he already played last week against the Green Bay Packers.

Muse, Smith and Ingram are all new additions to the report. Ingram left Sunday’s game with a shoulder injury. The progress throughout the week will determine whether or not they play on Sunday.

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Vikings release inactives: O’Neill returns, Addison and Blackmon active

Brian O’Neill returns on Sunday night against the Green Bay Packers

The Minnesota Vikings have released their inactive list for Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.

  • QB Josh Dobbs (emergency 3rd QB)
  • CB Byron Murphy Jr.
  • S Theo Jackson
  • G Chris Reed
  • OT Hakeem Adeniji
  • WR Jalen Nailor
  • DE Jaquelin Roy

The biggest news with the inactive list is that right tackle Brian O’Neill, wide receiver Jordan Addison and cornerback Mekhi Blackmon will all be playing on Sunday night. With the Packers missing their two starting cornerbacks, the Vikings can take advantage with the passing game.

Neither Jaire Alexander (suspended list) or Eric Stokes (injured reserve) appear on the inactive list but wide receivers Christian Watson and Dontayvion Wicks do. Here is the full list.

  • WR Christian Watson
  • WR Dontayvion Wicks
  • OLB Brenton Cox
  • ILB De’Vondre Campbell
  • OT Caleb Jones

The game kicks off at 7:20 p.m. CST.

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Mekhi Blackmon expected to play Sunday night vs. Packers

Despite having a shoulder injury, Mekhi Blackmon is expected to play Sunday night

The Minnesota Vikings gain an important player for their defense on Sunday night.

According to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson, Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon is expected to play against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night. He left last week’s game against the Detroit Lions with a shoulder injury.

Blackmon has been a really good player this season for the Vikings as a rookie. A third-round pick out of USC, Blackmon has been a quality player in both zone coverage and man-to-man coverage. This season, Blackmon has a Pro Football Focus grade of 78.1, good enough for 15th/123 among cornerbacks.

The Vikings will need Blackmon to both play and play well as Byron Murphy Jr. is out for his second consecutive game with a knee injury.

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Vikings final Week 17 injury report analysis: 4 out, 3 questionable

The final injury repot has seven Minnesota Vikings highlihgted

The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on their NFC North division rival Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.

Ahead on Sunday’s game, the Vikings released their final injury report on Friday afternoon. Here is everything you need to know.

Should the Vikings draft Bo Nix? Purple Daily on Draft

Is Bo Nix a quarterback the Vikings should target in the NFL Draft? That and more on the latest episode of Purple Daily on Draft

The Minnesota Vikings almost certainly need to address the quarterback position in the offseason. Even if they bring back Kirk Cousins, his health coming back from the Achilles tear he suffered against the Green Bay Packers isn’t a certainty considering he will be entering his age 36 season.

That means the Vikings could be targeting a quarterback in the upcoming NFL draft. Could that player be Oregon QB Bo Nix? How would he either fit or not fit? Does he have enough projectable traits to be a starting quarterback in the National Football League?

The Vikings also hit it big with both Ivan Pace Jr. and Mekhi Blackmon in last year’s NFL draft and undrafted free agent cycle. Why are they having the success they are this season? Is it their talent or the scheme that they are playing in?

Finally, the college football bowl season is here. What games are going to be fun to watch this weekend? How will the transfer portal and opt-outs impact the games?

All of that and more on the latest episode of Purple Daily on Draft, dropping every Monday afternoon on the Purple Daily YouTube channel.

Twitter reacts to Vikings’ keg stand celebration

While the game itself may not be the most exciting, the Vikings defense may have pulled off the celebration of the year.

Games like this between the Minnesota Vikings and Las Vegas Raiders force fans to search for reasons to celebrate.

The Raiders threatened to break the scoreless 0-0 tie after a play to Hunter Renfrow put the Raiders in field-goal range. But a few plays later, safety Josh Metellus had other plans. Metellus punched out a would-be catch-and-run, and rookie Mekhi Blackmon recovered it to give the Vikings possession deep in their territory.

That led to one of the best celebrations one would find this week in the NFL from the Minnesota defense. The defense flipped Blackmon upside down on top of fellow rookie Ivan Pace to replicate a keg stand in celebration of the rookie’s fumble recovery.

Immediately, the football world on Twitter showed their appreciation for the creativity and splendor of the keg stand and Minnesota’s keg stand celebration.

Vikings snap count analysis: Powell clear WR3, Blackmon emerges at CB

Chris Spooner takes a look at a few interesting notes from the Minnesota Vikings’ snap counts from the Monday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears.

The Minnesota Vikings have now dropped back-to-back games coming off their five-game win streak with another tough loss, this time at the hands of the Chicago Bears by a score of 12-10.

The Vikings defense did all it could to keep the team in the game, keeping Justin Fields and the Bears offense largely in check. Chicago failed to score a touchdown all night, and the defense was able to get not one, but two key turnovers late.

However, the offense was unable to capitalize and gave the Bears defense four turnovers of their own on the night to become the first team all year to lose a game while not allowing a touchdown to the opponent.

While the loss is disappointing, there were some interesting notes from the Vikings snap counts from the game. Here’s the breakdown.