After back-to-back drafts by general manager Rick Spielman that left the roster loaded with young and emerging talent, the Minnesota Vikings came into the weekend with few glaring needs.

Under second-year head coach Mike Zimmer, the Vikings defense continued to make big strides jumping into the top-10 in multiple categories. Some influence could be made on Spielman using his first three-picks on the defensive side of the ball, all of which made a big impact in some way during the season.  

Danielle Hunter was among the leaders in rookies at rushing the passer while Eric Kendricks led the team in tackles. Evan Trae Waynes, who was deliberately brought along slowly, became a special teams stud while making big plays towards the end of the year and into the playoffs when given the opportunity.

However, while the defensive side of the ball took another step forward, the offense, specifically the passing game, stalled.  While many will quickly point to the return of Adrian Peterson and Norv Turner’s emphasis on a power running game, the fact remains the offense ranked near last in multiple passing categories.

With Teddy Bridgewater entering a critical third-year known for being a quarterback's most important season in his progression, the Vikings sough after finding him help in round one.

Entering the predraft process Ole Miss’ Laquon Treadwell was the consensus number one wide receiver after finishing as the school's all-time leading pass catcher (202 career receptions).

Treadwell plays a physical brand of football that compares to guys like Anquan Boldin and Hakeem Nicks when you watch the tape with the ability to play strong, and fight for the ball with his body and hands. Flip on the tape it's hard not to be amazed by Treadwell’s run blocking ability that was second to none in the entire class of his peers as well, something that will only enhance the team's power running philosophy.

Treadwell saw his stock drop during and after the combine when he ran a sluggish 40 time (4.63 and 4.65) on top of average scores in other drills like vertical jump and bench press (33 inch and 12 reps).

The Vikings watched him slide all the way into their laps, but not before they saw a run on other receivers directly before them.  

After the Cleveland Browns kicked things off with the selection of Corey Coleman at selection 15, the Houston Texans and Washington Redskins picked Notre Dame’s Will Fuller and TCU’s Josh Doctson respectively before the Vikings were on the clock.

All of a sudden the Vikings’ options at the position quickly grew thin, and it was clear they felt forced to pull the trigger on the last remaining prospect before what was known as an obvious drop off.  

While Treadwell does add a physical receiver with play making skills, Doctson was widely known and regarded as having the biggest catch radius and body control down field, something Spielman and Zimmer made clear they were coveting.  

While it may never be known outside of their front office circles, it was rumored Doctson was the better fit and would have been the pick had he still been available.

Losing out on a player one selection before your turn is always a kick in the gut, but the Vikings were still able to get a big bodied receiver in which they coveted in hopes of continuing the progression of Bridgewater.

Mission accomplished.

Adding a safety now becomes the team's most pressing need as finding someone to play opposite of Harrison Smith was a big priority coming into the offseason.  That task may be easier said than done as Zimmer has been stern about finding a safety that has the versatility to play both deep in coverage, and line up in the box around the line of scrimmage.  Boise State’s Darian Thompson and Boston College’s Justin Simmons are two names I have linked closely with the team that check all the boxes regarding the criterias Zimmer has set.

After the safety position linebacker and offensive tackle are the last two areas of need.  While the team could suffice without extra help given their top-heavy status at both positions, depth behind the starters remains a looming concern.  

Keep an eye on all three positions during the remainder of the draft, and stay tuned for more coverage as the weekend continues to unfold.

Watch Luke Inman's full breakdown of Laquan Treadwell here.