Vikings draft former Alabama TE Irv Smith Jr. in second round

General manager Rick Spielman gave quarterback Kirk Cousins protection in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft Thursday night by addressing needs on the offensive line.

In Round 2, Spielman gave him another weapon to utilize in the passing game.

With the 18th pick of the second round (No. 50 overall), Minnesota selected former Alabama tight end Irv Smith Jr., adding the 6-foot-2, 242-pound threat to offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski’s scheme.

Smith played 38 games (14 starts) from 2016-18 for the Crimson Tide. He tallied 58 receptions for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns, with all his catches coming in the last two seasons. In 2018 alone, Smith caught 44 passes for 710 yards and seven touchdowns, setting Alabama’s single-season touchdown record for a tight end.

Smith was named to the All-SEC second team for his efforts as a junior last season.

He joins a crowded Vikings tight end room that includes veteran pass-catcher Kyle Rudolph. Rudolph is entering the final season of his five-year deal signed back in 2015 and is coming off a season in which he hauled in 64 receptions for 634 yards and four touchdowns.

Smith joins former N.C. State center Garrett Bradbury as the first two members of the Vikings’ 2019 draft class. The Vikings currently own one more pick in Day 2 of the draft at No. 81 overall, the 18th pick of the third round.