A wrap-up of the Minnesota Vikings' draft:
Best move: The Vikings answered what might have been their biggest draft need on Thursday night, when they took Laquon Treadwell with the 23rd overall pick. They had sought a big receiver for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, and Treadwell should be the kind of player who can make tough catches for the third-year quarterback and seal the edge for Adrian Peterson on outside runs.
Riskiest move: They loved his ability as a cover corner, and he could wind up playing primarily in the slot, but if the Vikings wind up using second-rounder Mackensie Alexander as an outside corner, they'll have to hope he can handle bigger receivers in the NFL. General manager Rick Spielman said the 5-foot-10 Alexander barely met coach Mike Zimmer's height requirement for corners, but his size would be fine in the slot. Alexander didn't have an interception in college, but he established himself as a feisty cover corner who excelled at doing what Zimmer preaches to his corners: Don't let your guy catch the ball. The Vikings will have to hope his cover skills translate to the NFL.
Most surprising move: It wasn't surprising in light of how much interest they'd shown in him, but we'll file it here for the fact that it made history: The Vikings took German wide receiver Moritz Boehringer in the sixth round, making him the first player to go from Europe straight to the NFL. The Vikings' only game film of Boehringer came from YouTube clips; they had a source at the NFL combine who told them to keep an eye on the 22-year-old former soccer player. Boehringer became a fan of American football after seeing highlight clips of Adrian Peterson; the Vikings will see how quickly they can turn Boehringer into an asset.
File it away: Vanderbilt's Stephen Weatherly will shift from linebacker to defensive end in the NFL, and he’ll have to refine his techniques, but he's the kind of athletic pass-rusher the Vikings have courted in recent years. At 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds, he runs a 4.61 40-yard dash and recorded 23 repetitions on the bench press at the NFL combine. The Vikings love players of Weatherly's type, and they could find a role for him sooner than you might expect.
Thumbs-up or thumbs-down: Thumbs-up. As their trade out of the third round on Friday indicated, the Vikings know roster spots could be at a premium for them in 2016. And as they usually do, they took some players who will need some time to develop. Boehringer is one of the feel-good stories of the draft, but he'll have plenty to learn going from Germany to the NFL. So will fourth-round offensive lineman Willie Beavers, seventh-round pass-rusher Stephen Weatherly and seventh-round safety Jayron Kearse. But the Vikings addressed their biggest need in the first round with Treadwell, and they identified some players who could contribute in the future. It's a good problem to have when you're picking players who don't necessarily need to take on major roles right away, and outside of Treadwell, the Vikings should have the luxury of time with many of their picks. They'll once again trust their coaching staff to coax production out of an intriguing group.