The Minnesota Vikings have made a significant move by parting ways with former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, largely due to his lackluster draft classes. Over his four-year tenure, Adofo-Mensah's drafts yielded just one All-Pro kicker, no Pro Bowlers, and only four starters from 28 selections. These numbers paint a challenging picture, but there might be more to his strategy than meets the eye.
When it comes to producing NFL talent, five college programs consistently stand out: Ohio State, Michigan, Alabama, Georgia, and LSU. These schools boast at least 50 active NFL players each. Interestingly, 32% of Adofo-Mensah’s picks came from these powerhouse programs.
Some of his most promising selections include Alabama alumni Dallas Turner and Will Reichard, Ohio State's Donovan Jackson, and Ed Ingram from LSU, who is now a starter for the Houston Texans. Even Jordan Addison, from USC, fits this mold, as the Trojans have a strong NFL presence with 38 active players.
While drafting from these elite schools doesn't guarantee success-take Lewis Cine from Georgia, for example-it highlights Adofo-Mensah's understanding of tapping into proven talent pools.
As the Vikings' new leadership, Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski, gear up for the NFL Combine, they might do well to consider elements of Adofo-Mensah’s approach. The Combine, while valuable, may have been overly relied upon in the past.
Each player receives a Relative Athletic Score (RAS), evaluating performance factors like size, speed, and agility. Adofo-Mensah favored this metric, evident in his selection of high scorers like Cine, who boasted a 9.92 RAS.
However, the Vikings plan to emphasize traditional scouting methods this year, potentially reducing the weight of metrics like RAS. While useful, these scores can oversimplify a player’s potential and were part of Adofo-Mensah’s challenges.
Looking ahead to this year’s draft, the Vikings have shown interest in prospects such as cornerback Avieon Terrell. Despite his average size and potentially moderate RAS, Terrell hails from Clemson, a school known for producing quality cornerbacks, including his brother, A.J. Terrell.
Would Terrell have been an Adofo-Mensah pick? It's uncertain. Adofo-Mensah often favored players from top NFL-producing schools, and Terrell’s projected RAS might not have caught his eye.
As the Vikings move forward, blending Adofo-Mensah’s analytical insights with seasoned football knowledge will be key. Not every player from a top school will succeed, and a stellar Combine performance doesn't guarantee NFL success. Completely abandoning analytics would be unwise, and the Vikings are aware of this.
The upcoming draft will reveal how much of Adofo-Mensah’s influence remains. Will the Vikings stick to familiar patterns, or will they chart a new course? Time will tell, but the blend of analytics and traditional scouting could be their winning formula.