The NFL season ended Sunday night time — which means everyone seems to be now formally looking forward to 2021.
The draft can be held April 29-Could 1. Definitely, issues will change earlier than then — gamers can be minimize, maybe traded and different signed.
How rather more will draftniks know, although? The Senior Bowl was held however the NFL mix and professional days can be digital occasions or evenly attended gatherings.
This can be our second take a look at mock drafts in regards to the Minnesota Vikings; we did our first proper after the top of the common season. We’ll proceed to supply mock draft roundup updates sporadically main as much as the draft and see how a lot issues change (we’ve famous earlier mock picks from our first roundup if relevant).
As ordinary, there’s no unanimous selection on which route the Vikings would possibly go within the first spherical, though protection appears to be the massive space of curiosity, primarily on the line of defense.
Most mock drafts solely deal with the primary spherical, but when there’s extra (sure, some do the complete seven rounds), we’ve famous it and included all of the picks, too, in fact. Aspect observe: Minnesota has no second-round choose however extra picks within the third, fourth and fifth rounds.
Right here’s our second roundup of mock drafts from across the internet:
Chad Reuter of NFL.com (three rounds): Spherical 1 – Jason Phillips, Edge, Miami (observe: projected commerce right down to No. 19). “The Vikings had one of many worst go rushes within the league in 2020, and neatly traded Yannick Ngakoue when it was clear the season was not going as deliberate. Phillips possesses a pleasant mixture of pass-rush potential and energy to carry the road of scrimmage.”; Spherical 2 – Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse (observe: additionally a part of the commerce); Spherical 3a – Kyle Trask, QB, Florida; Spherical 3b – Trey Smith, G, Tennessee; Spherical 3b (projected comp. choose) – Alim McNeill, DT, North Carolina State.
Eric Edholm of Yahoo Sports activities: Ali Vera-Tucker, OL, USC. “The Vikings would possibly want a guard or a deal with, relying on the group’s plans for Riley Reiff returning and what place they like Ezra Cleveland at greatest. However Vera-Tucker’s versatility, having performed properly the previous two seasons at guard and deal with, helps make this a better choose.”
DraftTek (7 rounds): Spherical 1 – Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama; Spherical 3a – Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State; Spherical 3b – Quinn Meinerz, C, UW-Whitewater; Spherical 4a – Dayo Odeyingbo, DL, Vanderbilt; Spherical 4b – Marlon Tuipulotu, DL, USC; Spherical 4c – Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU; Spherical 5a – Jordan Smith, Edge, UAB; Spherical 5b – Monty Rice, LB, Georgia; Spherical 6 – Trill Williams, CB, Syracuse; Spherical 7 – Demetric Felton, RB, UCLA;
Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting Information: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan. “The Vikings noticed their edge rush change into a multitude with out injured Danielle Hunter and will use a flexible lineman to proceed the rebuild of Mike Zimmer’s protection, now extra targeted on the entrance. Paye is a freak of nature and has rapidly shot up draft boards. It’s onerous not to consider a mix of Ziggy Ansah and Jason Pierre-Paul in that sense.” Beforehand: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic ($): Gregory Rousseau, OLB/Edge, Miami. “Along with his lengthy, athletic body, Rousseau is simply scratching the floor of his potential. After opting out of the 2020 season, his pre-draft exercises can be paramount to convincing NFL groups that he’s worthy of a spot within the top-20 picks.”
Ryan Wilson of CBSSports.com: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama. “The Vikings need assistance alongside the line of defense and within the secondary as properly, however with two edge rushers already off the board, addressing the inside with Barmore, our DT1, is sensible in the midst of Spherical 1. Barmore flashed all through the ’20 season however acquired crimson scorching over Alabama’s remaining 4 video games.” Beforehand: Rashawn Slater, OL, Northwestern.
Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan. “The Vikings should revamp all the line of defense this offseason. Paye is a rocked-up athletic specimen.” Beforehand: Jaelan Phillips, DL, Miami
Josh Edwards of CBSSports.com: Gregory Rousseau, OLB/Edge, Miami. “Minnesota embraced a rebuild final season whether or not they acknowledged it or not. The cornerback place was overhauled and Everson Griffen was launched. I’d anticipate the youth motion to proceed as they give the impression of being to interchange Griffen with Gregory Rousseau.” Beforehand: Rousseau.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan. “The Vikings’ defensive decline will be attributed to a non-existent go rush that clearly missed the injured Danielle Hunter. Paye has the potential to develop right into a high-end edge rusher in a number of years.”
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: Alijah Vera-Tucker, OT, USC. “Some of the stunning developments from the 2020 faculty season was Vera-Tucker’s play at left deal with after transitioning from guard. For sure, he’ll provide guard/deal with flexibility on the subsequent degree and could be an instantaneous improve on the Vikings’ O-line.”
Dan Kadar of the Akron Beacon Journal: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan. “Strain may be constructing on Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer after an uneven 7-9 season. That may imply Zimmer is much less susceptible to taking a challenge edge participant like Gregory Rousseau of Miami. As a substitute, he might go after an instant-impact participant like Paye. The 6’4, 272-pound Paye can win with energy and pace.”
Michael Renner of Professional Soccer Focus: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama. “The Vikings want edge and inside, so this resolution comes right down to positional shortage. It’s a weak defensive deal with class, and Barmore is a large improve as a prospect over what you will discover within the second or third spherical at defensive deal with. The sting class is way deeper, although, and it consists of some athletic initiatives who will fall.” Beforehand: Gregory Rousseau, OLB/Edge, Miami.
Luke Easterling of Draft Wire: Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami.
Brett Sobleski of Bleacher Report: Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami.
Dalton Johnson & Josh Schrock of NBC Sports activities Bay Space: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan. “The Vikings badly need assistance speeding the passer. Paye is taken into account maybe the perfect go rusher in a category that isn’t too deep with Day 1 expertise on the place. This choose simply makes an excessive amount of sense.”
Brad Crawford of 247 Sports activities: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama. Beforehand: Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State.
Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com (5 rounds): Spherical 1 — Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama. “The Vikings want as a lot defensive assist as doable. They should bolster their line of defense to interchange some current departures. Christian Barmore has good size, quickness and athleticism.”; Spherical 3a – Jamie Newman, QB, Georgia; Spherical 3b – Tamorrion Terry, WR, Florida State; Spherical 4a – Grant Stuard, LB, Houston; Spherical 4b – Caden Sterns, S, Texas; Spherical 4c – Elijah Molden, CB, Washington; Spherical 5a – Adetokunbo Ogundeji, DE, Notre Dame; Spherical 5b – Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa. Beforehand (three rounds): Spherical 1 — Barmore; Spherical 3a – Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A&M; Spherical 3b – Tylan Wallace, WR, Tulane.
Charlie Campbell of WalterFootball.com (three rounds): Spherical 1 — Jaleen Phillips, DE, Miami. “The Vikings might use extra younger line of defense expertise. Phillips, Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum might give Minnesota a proficient group of go rushers.”; Spherical 3a – Jared Goldwire, G, Louisville; Spherical 3b – Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota.
Matt Williamson of Professional Soccer Community: Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami. “Mike Zimmer’s protection relies on getting a constant go rush off the sting. With Danielle Hunter out in 2020, Minnesota’s protection (which allowed 6.1 yards per play) was actually missing on this division. The mixture of Gregory Rousseau and Hunter could possibly be actually one thing, although.”
Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.com: Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan.
Joe DiTullio of GameHaus: Gregory Rousseau, Edge, Miami. Beforehand: Kwity Paye, OLB/Edge, Michigan.
Ben Ramos-Salsberg of Final Phrase on Sports activities: Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina.
Paul M. Banks of The Sports activities Financial institution: Dylan Moses, ILB, Alabama.
Robby Esch of The Huddle Report: Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia.
Brian Johannes of The Huddle Report: Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama.
Drew Boylhart of The Huddle Report: Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech.
Kyle Crabbs of The Draft Community (2 rounds): Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech. (observe: Projected commerce with Indianapolis right down to No. 21) “Go forward, Vikings followers. Pinch yourselves. This actually occurred. Y’all acquired the commerce down that shares up additional picks after which nonetheless managed to see Christian Darrisaw fall into your lap. Darrisaw would permit Minnesota to start to brace for a transition away from Riley Reiff, who’s coming into into the ultimate yr of his contract, can be 33 years outdated this season, and is owed almost $12M in new money.”
FIRST-ROUND TALLY (in alphabetical order)
Christian Barmore, DL, Alabama 6
Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech 2
Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina
Dylan Moses, ILB, Alabama
Azeez Ojulari, Edge, Georgia
Kwity Paye, Edge, Michigan 6
Jason Phillips, Edge, Miami 2
Gregory Rousseau, OLB/Edge, Miami 6
Ali Vera-Tucker, OL, USC 2
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
