Minnesota Vikings: Breaking Down Offensive 2017 NFL Draft Picks

Round 5, Pick 170: Rodney Adams, WR – South Florida

Minnesota finds a potential replacement of Cordarrelle Patterson with the pick-up of Rodney Adams. An all-around athlete that has the ability to beat defenses deep through the air, or on quick sweep hand-offs and wide receiver screens, Rick Spielman once again finds value in the fifth round.

Some knocks on this receiver start with his very thin frame, he needs to put on muscle during the off-season to really compete at the next level. Also, he has ball security issues that will need to be addressed immediately. Last season Adams fumbled the ball five times on 90 touches, which is concerning if the Vikings plan on having him be their kick returner as well.

There is tremendous upside here with a receiver that had limited opportunity on a run heavy offense at South Florida. Adams is skilled in the mold of Patterson but compared to the likes of Curtis Samuel and Carlos Henderson in this 2017 NFL Draft. A quick twitch with elusiveness out of the roof, it’s reassuring to also know that the Vikings are getting a receiver well versed in his routes and does attack balls with his hands.

Minnesota notably lost two receivers from their roster during this offseason, Patterson and Charles Johnson, and will be looking for others to step in such as this new rookie. It’ll be hard to replace the production of Patterson on kick returns, as he has been one of the best in the business since entering the league. But Adams could at least potentially fill those shoes and still create a multitude of plays on offense.