When it comes to the NFL Draft, no one tends to agree on anything, especially when it comes to the backend of the first round.
You can take this to the bank, however: Any team that drafts a running back on Day 1 will get ripped, ridiculed and graded poorly in real-time by any so-called expert with an internet connection.
Recent history has shown a rapid decline in running back value when it comes to the draft. The top prospects now tend to fly off the board early on Day 2, as if the hand slapping for taking a first-round running back would be too much to bear.
For the second time in three years, no running backs were drafted in the first round in 2024. What’s now becoming the norm had only happened two times in the previous 40 years prior to the 2022 draft.
The Minnesota Vikings have taken a Band-Aid approach to the position since their decision to release Dalvin Cook during the summer of 2023. Alexander Maddison rushed for just 700 yards as the lead back that season, and veteran Aaron Jones has been a boon for the offense in a workhorse role so far in 2024.
Running back will be a need for the Vikings entering 2025, and the team could approach the position in a variety of ways. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News recently made a bold prediction: The Vikings select Boise State back Ashton Jeanty with their first-round pick this April.
Here was Iyer’s take on what could be viewed as a controversial move: “The Vikings could use a more explosive workhorse-type back with fading former Packer Aaron Jones only on a one-year deal. Jeanty would be a good combination of luxury and necessity pick for them.”
A move like this would make for fun discussion, as the Vikings are only projected to have four total draft picks in 2025 (their first, two fifths and a third-round compensatory selection). If Minnesota was serious about taking a running back earlier than the fifth round, why not trade back, pick up an extra selection, and draft a running back on Day 2?
The Vikings have much bigger needs. Adding an offensive guard on the right side should be a priority, and their slew of expiring contracts at both cornerback and defensive tackle could fuel their decision in this spot.
Jeanty is an exciting playmaker, and as a junior who’s just 20 years old, he could be attractive towards the end of the first round. Minnesota will likely take the more modern approach of selecting a running back in the middle rounds, though, and look to add force in the trenches on Day 1.
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