Don't let the losing records fool you; the NFC North is a tough division top-to-bottom. Yes, Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears badly underachieved last year at 5-11. And yes, the Minnesota Vikings were pleasantly surprised to finish 7-9. But both of those teams have a lot of talent and the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions aren't going anywhere. This is one of the more competitive divisions in all of football.
So given the overall quality, which team came away with the best draft class?
According to ESPN's NFC North reporters, the Vikings did.
"While there were things I liked about all four of these drafts, I had the Vikings at the top of my ballot," ESPN's Ben Goessling wrote. "I gave their draft a 'B' on Saturday night, but the more I've looked at in the past few days, the more I have liked it. The second-round pick of linebacker Kendricks fills a long-standing need, and if Waynes works out, the Vikings could have an elite defense in the next couple years. There's an argument to be made that the Vikings could have drafted a receiver earlier, but fifth-rounder Stefon Diggs could be a good value pick, and I'm intrigued by tight end MyCole Pruitt, given what offensive coordinator Norv Turner has done with former basketball players in the past. There are some gambles in this draft, but the Vikings hit on some key areas and could take a big step forward if this group works out."
The Vikings snagged Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes with the No. 11 overall pick, giving head coach Mike Zimmer a trio of CBs 27 or younger. Minnesota finished the 2014 season ranked seventh against the pass (223.2 yards-allowed-per-game) overall. With a lot of defensive upside and the continued development of second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the Vikings could a force in the division as soon as this year.
