Running back in the first round? Vikings study a ‘really good class’ in NFL draft

INDIANAPOLIS – It has been 18 years since the Vikings drafted Adrian Peterson, the franchise’s last first-round pick at running back.

Would General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah consider taking the next one with the 24th overall pick in April’s NFL draft?

This year’s draft is being heralded as one of the best running back classes in recent memory, boasting both top-tier talent — with multiple first-round options led by Boise State Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty — as well as the depth to produce a gem in later rounds.

On Saturday, they’ll take the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for combine drills following a week of interviews and medical evaluations with teams. The Vikings' 45 formal interviews included Jeanty, according to a league source. Jeanty finished second in Heisman voting last fall and is widely expected to be a first-round pick.

“It’s an interesting conversation,” Adofo-Mensah said, “because the draft pick is about potential ceiling, ability to play at a certain level while you have those years under contract below free-agency market level; your ability to sustain [on] a second contract.

“You bring in players of high assets, you’re trying to overcome other aspects to your team, no matter what position that is. And, so, if you have that unique skill set in a player, you should go do that. That might be in the first round, might be in the fifth round. This is a really good class of running backs in the draft, so we’ll be excited to talk about that.”

The Vikings are interested in retaining running back Aaron Jones, a pending free agent, after he racked up 1,546 yards from scrimmage in 17 games last season.

But Jones, 30, had a career-high 255 carries and a growing list of injuries as the year progressed. The Vikings leaned heavily on Jones while lacking a trusted No. 2 runner until the midseason reacquisition of Cam Akers.

Jones has emphatically said he’d like to stay in Minnesota. That’ll depend on whether the Vikings meet his asking price, which may be juiced by newfound respect for the position after Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Josh Jacobs, Jones and others changed teams and made instant impacts last year.

Have Barkley and Henry changed the value of the position?

“It’s probably accurate to say that,” Adofo-Mensah said, “but you also named two unbelievable names that might be getting gold jackets one day when their careers are over. So, I think it’s about the person that is up in the discussion. … If you have the front to be able to block for them, they can change games, and they can really impact not just your offense but your defense, control the clock and different things like that.”

Jeanty, who ran for an absurd 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in 14 games for Boise State, had a message for teams near the top of the draft order.

“It’s been shown this year by the Eagles, Saquon Barkley,” Jeanty said, “that a great running back can help your team out a lot.”

Other possible first-round options include Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson, whom NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah recently had going to the Vikings at No. 24 overall in a mock draft.

Interestingly, Jeremiah had Jeanty falling to No. 21 and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I would hope I don’t fall that far,” Jeanty said when asked about waiting until the 20s to hear his name.

“Because of the depth of the class,” Jeremiah said, “and it’s really good that, man, if you have multiple needs, maybe you could see a scenario where teams are going to punt on running backs early and then just know that I still got some options there on Day 2.

“[But] there is more love for running backs around the league after this last season. All the leading rushers in the league were all free agents that showed their value. And then we’ve seen with some of the young backs in the league what they’ve done, led by Jahmyr Gibbs. That’s why I went running back with the Minnesota Vikings, because I just think they saw inside their division what you had with Jahmyr Gibbs, and, man, [Henderson] would be an explosive player to add to their mix.”

Henderson’s NFL.com draft profile compares him to Aaron Jones, who in his prime was a home-run threat from anywhere on the field. Henderson split carries at Ohio State with Quinshon Judkins, another lauded draft prospect who was more of a thumper to Henderson’s breakaway ability.

“I’m a bigger guy,” said Judkins, a 6-foot back who weighed in at 219 pounds. “Size, speed, vision, power, can run between the tackles and also outside. Any running back in today’s NFL that can do what I do at my size, that’s what I bring.”

North Carolina’s Omarion Hampton, Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson, Tennessee’s Dylan Sampson and Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten are among the many others considered to have starting NFL talent.

“All I know is we have a lot of great backs in this class,” Sampson said. “I will say one thing: Sometimes, people were like, ‘Are you sure you want to leave in this class?’ I was like, ‘This is the class you want to be in.’ Because if you can make it in this class — this is the class, I’m not going to lie. It’s deep and there are a lot of great guys.”