Well, that was pretty easy for the Vikings. While most teams tend to sign their draft choices in drips and drabs, the Vikings announced that they have signed their entire 2015 draft class. Those ten rookies are:
- Round 1, CB Trae Waynes
- Round 2: LB Eric Kendricks
- Round 3: DE Danielle Hunter
- Round 4: OL T.J. Clemmings
- Round 5: TE Mycol Pruitt
- Round 5: WR Stefon Diggs
- Round 6: OL Tyrus Thompson
- Round 6: DL B.J. Dubose
- Round 7: OL Austin Shepherd
- Round 7: LB Edmond Robinson
The signing of Waynes was leaked out earlier today by Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. The eleventh player selected in the 2015 draft, Waynes will earn nearly $13MM over the life of his rookie contract, and will have the opportunity to make several extra million in 2019 if Minnesota exercises his fifth-year option. Because he just missed the cutoff to be a top-10 pick, Waynes’ fifth year won’t be as pricey as it otherwise would’ve — those amounts aren’t known yet, but for 2016 options, the difference in salaries between a top-10 cornerback and a corner picked between 11th and 32nd exceeded $3.5MM.
Kendricks was last season’s Butkus Award winner, giving him the crown of best collegiate linebacker in the country. Kendricks’ brother, Mychal, plays for the Eagles and father Marvin Kendricks, played running back at UCLA and enjoyed a stint in the CFL.
With ten UDFAs also in the fold, the Vikings’ roster is now at 90 players, according to the press release.