5th Round Draft Analysis - David Yankey

The Vikings finally took a guard in the fifth round. I would have preferred the position be addressed earlier, but there were so many positions the Vikings needed to address that one position had to fall through the cracks. But David Yankey continued to fall and the Vikings were glad to snag him. 

David Yankey, G Stanford:

from: guardianlv.com

At 6'5" and 315 lbs, Yankey played left tackle in college but projects as a prototypical offensive guard. He's tough, something Spielman apparently likes in his offensive lineman (who doesn't?). Let's go to the chart.

from: bleacherreport.com

This chart was obviously made by someone else. But it provides a good jumping off point to talk about the different strengths and weaknesses of Yankey's game. Size and feet don't need much attention here. He's obviously a great size and his feet are probably proportional to his body. All seems good to me there.

He's a great run blocker. The chart rates his ability in that aspect at an 8.5. From the analyses I've read about him, that's about right. That toughness I mentioned above comes into play heavily in the run game. Bleacher Report says he has a 'desire to hit somebody'. That's something I would think of more in a defensive player, yet it's actually a positive in an offensive lineman as well. Yankey also plays with a low center of gravity and his head up, keeping him in great position throughout the play. He also uses his hands well in tight spaces, great for keeping defensive tackles and blitzing linebackers away from the ball carrier. 

from: college-football.si.com

The chart gives him an 8 in quickness and for his motor. Those are great to have in combination. I feel like everyone I look closely into is lauded for the quick first step. Someone's step has to be quicker than someone else's. Anyway, Yankey keeps going, especially when run blocking.

Now for the negatives. I feel like this chart rates Yankey better than he really is. If these numbers are correct, Yankey should have gone before the 5th round. His pass blocking was rated at a 7.5, but that's one of his weakest abilities. When pass blocking, he tends to drop his head which allows the defensive player to get a better move on him. He also seems to struggle in one on one assignments. His initial hit is strong, but he struggles with his footwork and often allows the defender past him, especially to the outside.

Another knock on him is his athletic ability. Yankey ran the 4th slowest time of all offensive lineman that tested at the combine. He also ran the 5th slowest short shuttle time. He's not fast and he's not agile. For a guard, that isn't a huge downer, but it does mean he may never become an elite guard. Even for the maulers on the inside, a little wiggle is always a good thing.

from: espn.go.com

Bleacher Report projected him to go somewhere in the 2nd round. Nfl.com projected round 2 to round 3. That obviously didn't happen, and his poor combine numbers were part of the reason he dropped so far. He also didn't have a great 2013 season. But in his senior year of high school, Yankey was only 240 lbs. He's grown a bunch every year and was forced to learn how to adapt to his body. With 34" arms, you would think he's done growing and can now settle in to learning how to use his body. Yankey will see playing time this year, but he most likely isn't going to beat Charlie Johnson out for the starting left guard spot. The Stanford product will need to show improvement in the areas outlined above before he can become a starter. Give him a year, though, and he'll be a great addition to a line that focuses heavily on the run.