Scouting report

Irv Smith, Vikings TE Information for this report was obtained from NFL scouts.

Irv Smith, 6-foot-2 and 242 pounds, is a rookie the Vikings selected in the second round (50th overall) after he caught 44 passes for 710 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior at Alabama.

Some thought the addition of Smith would signal the end of Kyle Rudolph’s career in Minnesota, but the veteran agreed to a pay reduction to return for a ninth season. The Vikings have relied on the tandem a lot, and Smith has 35 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns.

“He’s the future for the Vikings at the position, more so as a receiver than a run blocker,” the scout said. “Not that he can’t run block because he’s coming from Alabama, where he’s obviously wellcoached to be a complete player. It’s one area of his game he needs to improve on, but he’s had a bunch of reps this year doing it. He’s improved as a run blocker, but the reason he was drafted — and higher than a lot of people thought — was because of his receiving traits. He can work underneath and in the middle of the field in the short to intermediate passing game and has enough juice to get down the field.

“He plays with pretty good balance as a receiver. He can still get a little stuck in his breaks. Based on his playing time, I think they really like him there. He’s a good fit for Kevin Stefanski’s offense. It’s really about opportunity and fit for him there. He’s going to block on the edge and catch the ball in space, and when he gets the ball, he can move pretty well. Smith can look a little stiff as an athlete at times in terms of detailed route running, but he’s a good athlete. He could get better in the next few seasons.”