The Vikings didn’t take a safety in the NFL draft. Then again, they might already have a key future piece in place.

Minnesota selected Antone Exum in the sixth round last year. General manager Rick Spielman said after the draft concluded Saturday that Exum is making great progress.

“I’m really excited about having an opportunity to compete for more of a role,” Exum said Sunday. “I’m not just focusing on one position. I’m homing in on both strong and free safety.

“So whatever I’m asked to play, I will be ready. I take pride in work ethic and not being outworked, and this offseason I’ve been attacking.”

It remains to be seen whether Exum, who played just 16 snaps from scrimmage last season, has matured enough to battle strong safety Robert Blanton for the starting job. But Spielman feels good enough about him that he felt he didn’t need to draft a safety.

“Exum from last year, who make the conversion from corner to safety, we’re very excited about the progress he has made,” Spielman said. “Also, with Blanton and (Andrew) Sendejo I think we know what those guys are, but Exum is someone we’re definitely going to be keep a close eye on.”

Exum was excited to see the Vikings take Maryland wide receiver Stefon Diggs in the fifth round. The two are good friends, having met during their college days through quarterback Ricardo Young, who played with Exum at Virginia Tech before transferring to Maryland.

“I actually saw (Diggs recently) in Washington and I said that maybe we’ll end up drafting you,” Exum said. “I thought he should have been drafted a lot earlier.”

Undrafted free agents

Spielman said the Vikings will announce signings of about 10 undrafted college free agents by Thursday. That means some players would be cut.

The Vikings have 75 on the roster and 10 drafted players. So signing 10 free agents would require five to be cut.

“Everything is in flux and then we’ll work through it this week,” Spielman said.

Spielman confirmed five undrafted free agents who have been reported to be joining the Vikings. They are Virginia safety Anthony Harris, Tennessee cornerback Justin Coleman, Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke and wide receivers DeVaris Daniels of Notre Dame and Jordan Leslie of Brigham Young.

Some believed Harris would be drafted in the third or fourth round. However, Spielman said a shoulder injury didn’t allow him to work out before the draft.

In addition to the draft choices and undrafted free agents, Spielman said about 50 tryout players also will arrive Thursday and take part in the rookie minicamp, Friday through Sunday. If any of those players earn contracts, others would have to be cut to keep Minnesota at the 90-man limit.

There is signing bonus pool of $86,957 teams can use on undrafted free agents.

Options to be set

Spielman said he will announce Monday, the deadline on players taken in the first round of the 2012 draft, whether the Vikings will pick up fifth-year options on safety Harrison Smith and tackle Matt Kalil.

It’s a no-brainer Smith’s $5.278 million option for 2016 will be picked up. Kalil, whose option is for $11.096 million, offers a much more difficult decision.

Kalil, who made the Pro Bowl in 2012, struggled last season. However, because the option is guaranteed only for injury, some observers said they wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings hang onto Kalil.

If the option is picked up and Kalil doesn’t play well in 2015 and doesn’t sustain a serious injury, he could be released without further obligation. However, if the option is declined and he has a bounce-back season, he could leave next year as a free agent.

Fellow Sooners

Tyrus Thompson, a tackle from Oklahama taken in the sixth round, met fellow former Sooners star Adrian Peterson when he was a freshman. Now, Thompson can’t believe he will have a chance to block for Peterson on the Vikings.

“That’s the best running back in the league and no one gets better than that,” Thompson said. “So to have the opportunity to block for someone like that is crazy, I never thought I would in my lifetime, but here I am.”

Fellow Salukis

After the Vikings drafted Southern Illinois tight end MyCole Pruitt in the fifth round, Spielman told him he also had attended that school. That was news to Pruitt.

“He didn’t know I was from there,” Spielman said.

Pruitt has an unusual first name. He said it came from his mother.

“My mom’s name is Colette (Bonds), so she made me her Cole, so it became MyCole,” he said.

Briefly

The Vikings announced their award winners for last season Sunday night at the Minnesota Football Honors banquet in Minneapolis. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was named team MVP and top rookie, defensive end Everson Griffen defensive player of the year, linebacker Chad Greenway community man of the year and Sendejo top special-teams player.