The Minnesota Vikings' 2016 rookie class always figured to be one that would take some time to develop, but a year after the Vikings' run to the playoffs was buoyed by a stellar group of rookies, this year's crop hasn't yielded many immediate contributions. Only three first-round picks had played less through the season's first 12 games than first-rounder Laquon Treadwell, and the Vikings have found a class that figured to require some development will indeed take some time to pan out.
Grade: D
Best rookie: It says something about the first-year production of the Vikings' rookie class that tight end David Morgan -- a sixth-round pick out of Texas-San Antonio -- gets this honor. Morgan has chipped in at times as a blocking tight end, after making the roster out of training camp, and is one of only two Vikings offensive rookies to play more than 10 snaps this season.
Most improved rookie: Fifth-round pick Kentrell Brothers hasn't played a defensive snap yet, but the Vikings are encouraged with the linebacker's growth on special teams. "He wasn't quite ready at the beginning of the season. That's why he was inactive there for a few weeks, and you kind of saw it on the show team," special teams coordinator Mike Priefer said. "And I tell these guys all the time on the scout team -- we call them the show teams -- you need to show up on those and use our techniques and do what you're asked to do and give us a great look, and then you'll get noticed. It was two weeks in a row, he really started ... he wasn't being a scout team All-American. He wasn't doing things out of the ordinary, but he was doing his job at a high level, and that's exactly what we ask these young men to do."
Most disappointing rookie: When the Vikings took Treadwell with the 23rd overall pick, it seemed they'd filled an immediate need for a passing game that ranked 31st in the league a year ago. But Treadwell has played only 76 snaps, caught only one pass, injured his ankle on Sunday and hasn't seemed to click with quarterback Sam Bradford. Young receivers in Minnesota had to wait their turn under former offensive coordinator Norv Turner, but when Treadwell has had chances with interim offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, he hasn't exactly capitalized on those, either. He couldn't separate from a defensive back on a downfield shot from Bradford against the Cowboys, and a third-down throw from Bradford later in the game fell incomplete because of what appeared to be a miscommunication.
The jury is still out on ... Mackensie Alexander. The second-round pick had played only 60 snaps -- 54th among the 57 first- and second-round picks who have played this season -- and the Clemson cornerback is still learning how to handle receivers in the NFL. The Vikings put their young corners through an indoctrination into the coverage techniques of Mike Zimmer's defense, and the play of veterans such as Xavier Rhodes, Terence Newman and Captain Munnerlyn has meant the Vikings haven't needed to use Alexander much in his first year. The Vikings loved his coverage skills in the draft, and he could improve in 2017.
Undrafted rookie check-in: Tackle Rashod Hill -- whom the Vikings picked up from Jacksonville's practice squad -- is the only undrafted free agent on the team's roster, and three more rookie free agents (defensive end Sterling Bailey, running back C.J. Ham and cornerback Tre Roberson) are on the practice squad.