Harrison Smith to Minnesota Vikings: Purple & Gold End Day One as Winners

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Minnesota won day one.

With the 29^th pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame.

Instant Reaction: Stephen Hill! Nice pick…oh—Harrison Smith…nice pick!

Analysis: Minnesota has needed an upgrade at safety for what seems like the longest time. Sure, giving Ponder a potential No. 1 receiver to throw to in Hill would’ve been ideal. But if the Vikings plan on slowing down anyone in 2012, they needed to upgrade their pitiful secondary.

Smith is one of just two solid safety prospects in the entire draft. While there are still plenty of quality receivers available, if the Vikings failed to select Smith, they weren’t going to find anyone capable of starting from year one.

Initial Grade: A+

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