Three Vikings mocks with three different approaches
Play it safe? Go crazy with trades? Which path makes the most sense?
By Matthew Coller
The Minnesota Vikings have a wide array of ways that they could take on the NFL Draft. Let’s have a look at three very different approaches along with the benefits and drawbacks of those moves…
Everybody stay calm mock
In this mock draft, concept is playing it safe. Keeping the ball on the fairway. Not doing anything that would fundamentally shift the franchise. Just simply adding solid prospects at positions of need both now and later. No risky picks. No trades up or player trades.
The stay-calm iteration has the Vikings trading down with the Kansas City Chiefs to the 29th overall pick. They get No. 74 overall and make a fourth-fifth pick swap that moves the Vikings up 64 spots. The trade allows them to add another potential impact player within the top 100 picks without a major sacrifice.
While they might not have been able to land the No. 1 or 2 corners in the draft, they still get a talented 21-year-old defensive back who they can develop behind Isaiah Rodgers and Byron Murphy Jr. and who can act as depth right away.
On Day 2, they roll with a safe prospect in Georgia defensive tackle Christen Miller. With his size and strength and production against the run, there is presumably a high floor as a rotational contributor but his upside is limited to being a top-notch run defender and occasional pass rush contributor on early downs.
Early Day 3 is a good spot to pick a running back in any draft, particularly one who runs a 4.33 40-yard dash but has some question marks.
The middle of the third round is where it made sense to look for a center but the top prospects — Connor Lew, Sam Hecht, Jake Slaughter and Logan Jones — were all still on the board so the Vikings pick up some insurance at the edge rusher position in Joshua Josephs first and then land Jones as a player who can develop for a year behind Blake Brandel.
And then with the Chiefs’ 109 pick, the Vikings get a blazing fast receiver who may be able to step into an immediate role.
Overall, it’s a solid B draft. Nothing special, nothing risky. Nobody’s dancing in the streets but nobody’s crying either.
The upside is that the Vikings strengthened some positions where they were weak right away with players that have potential to be long-term starters.
The downside is that there aren’t many players on this list that are going to truly move the needle in the short or long term.
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