Minnesota Vikings: Grading every 2018 NFL Draft pick

Grade: B+

One of the less-talked-about offensive tackle prospects in the 2018 draft class, Brian O’Neill was a sneaky-good selection for the Vikings at the end of the second round. I was a bit concerned as offensive linemen started flying off the board, but this is a move Minnesota can live with.

O’Neill is an outstanding athlete at offensive tackle who has the physical tools needed to develop into a exceptional blindside blocker. Although that’s not what they need right now, he could easily slot in at right tackle, allowing Mike Remmers to bump inside to right guard. Then, if O’Neill reaches his potential in a couple of years, he can swap sides when Riley Reiff’s contract is up.

For now, though, he’s polished enough to at least push for playing time. O’Neill was outstanding in pass protection during his final year at Pitt (he gave up only one sack in 2017), which bodes well for Kirk Cousins’ health. Although he’ll need to get stronger at the point of attack, the potential is there for him to push Rashod Hill for snaps at right tackle.

I was disappointed the Vikings didn’t grab an offensive lineman on Day 1. Then, they watched players like Will Hernandez and James Daniels come off the board earlier in the second round. While I don’t think getting O’Neill at No. 62 is exactly what the Vikings were hoping for, they could have done worse considering the circumstances.