Stefon Diggs to Minnesota: Full Draft-Pick Breakdown

The Minnesota Vikings selected Stefon Diggs with the 146th pick overall, the 10th pick in the fifth round. A receiver from Maryland, Diggs has had an uneven career after some people initially called him the next Percy Harvin (in a good way) as a recruit. Opting to stay at home instead of going to the high-powered football programs that could have offered more elsewhere, the Terrapins leaned on his unique talents to push them forward as they entered the Big Ten.

Drafting a player like Diggs allows the Vikings to engage in "roster mirroring," functionally giving them a backup to a player like Cordarrelle Patterson. Designing the offense in a particular way to take advantage of Patterson's unique talents can be smart, but if he goes down, a team can be left out to dry without a backup plan.

By acquiring Diggs, the Vikings can continue the same offensive concepts without taking a step back in case of injury. It also so happens that Diggs can provide insurance in case Patterson doesn't pan out as a receiver at all. Diggs doesn't just have to back him up; he can replace him if the Vikings want to move on.

Diggs and Patterson are certainly similar receivers, even if their measurables are a little different.

Player	Height	Weight	40-yard dash	20-yard split	10-yard split	Vertical	Broad	Shuttle	Cone
Stefon Diggs	6'0"	195	4.46	2.58	1.53	35	9'7"	4.11	7.03
Cordarrelle Patterson	6'2"	216	4.42	2.61	1.6	37	10'8"	4.4	7.28

For all the disappointment that Patterson has caused fans, being compared to him isn't a bad thing, nor is it an indication that Diggs' game at the next level should fall off.

So long as he can play a traditional game in addition to the gadget game he perfected at Maryland, he should be on rosters for a long time.

There are some big differences between their games, too. Diggs has significantly better hands, and he has the ability to reel in catches well outside what you would normally consider his catch radius.

He does have smaller hands and focus drops. Those will cause some frustrations, but there's no question that his body control and technique with the ball in the air gives him an advantage over some of the negative comparisons one may be tempted to make.

Diggs is a little more willing to mix it up physically, too. Patterson has evolved into a more willing blocker over the past two years, but he's still not as enthusiastic about it as Diggs is. And while the first-round pick is a little more hesitant about going over the middle, Diggs is a little more OK with the prospect of it—though he's not in love with the idea either.

That said, they do have some similar weaknesses. With the natural agility and explosive ability to get open on cuts, both are still rough route-runners who don't take advantage of their physical abilities to create clean cuts at the route stem.

That said, there are some elements to his route running that are much more advanced than Patterson's were coming out, like an intuitive understanding that he must consistently deceive defensive backs, though his technique needs to improve with that in mind. He was much more effective at getting defensive backs to bite than Patterson was.

For Diggs, the ideal role in his head may be DeSean Jackson because he's a slightly smaller receiver who can double as a deep threat in a way that Patterson may not, but teams will covet his yards-after-catch ability—he had the most yards after the catch per reception of any player against Power Five teams, according to Pro Football Focus—and attempt to use him underneath.

He gets separation on longer routes—like drags, drives, posts and seams—but needs to work on route breaks.

Though there are some parts of his game that are more sophisticated than Patterson's (hands technique, release off the line, deception), his prospects are somewhat limited. He may not have functional NFL strength like both Patterson and Harvin do, or even as much as Tavon Austin. Diggs doesn't really have a frame to grow, and the lack of strength could be a critical factor in his success or failure.

His vision isn't nearly as developed as Patterson's, Harvin's or Austin's either, and if he's supposed to win as an after-the-catch receiver, being a little behind in this area of his game could mean he's limited to role duty.

Diggs is better at some things than Patterson, but he's not good enough at what the former Tennessee receiver does to let those other things allow him to overtake the role.

Still, it's a good selection, and he can turn in some electric plays. He'll provide backup at one of the most difficult and unique positions to back up in the NFL.