Mock draft season is upon us and that means our mock draft roundup is back!
What we do every week is track the mainstream outlets mock drafts and aggregate how many times a player gets selected. Last season, we tallied up 173 mock drafts and only 10 of them were on offense. This season could end up being much of the same.
We will track them and try to determine trends and patterns, along with giving my own analysis on how they could fit with the Minnesota Vikings
Oregon CB Christian Gonzalez
Who:
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar
It’s becoming more and more likely that we see Gonzalez going in the top 10 as he is one of the smoothest cover cornerbacks I’ve ever scouted. He stays with receivers so easily and is scheme versatile. What sets him apart is his size. He is 6’2″ and over 200 lbs which gives him an advantage over a lot of other people.
South Carolina CB Cam Smith
Who:
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks
Bears Wire’s Alyssa Barbieri
Falcons Wire’s Matt Urben
The Draft Network’s Joe Marino
A truly diverse cornerback, Smith has the ball skills to be a top cornerback in the National Football League. He was trusted to follow the top wide receiver from each team and did a great job in covering those players. What separates Smith from other cornerbacks is how talented he is in filling run lanes and supporting the run.
Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Who:
Sports Illustrated’s NFL Draft Bible
The idea of drafting Richardson would signal a major shift for the franchise in multiple ways. It would mean moving on from five-year starting quarterback Kirk Cousins and embracing a true dual-threat quarterback. Richardson possesses absolutely insane tools that the NFL hasn’t seen enter the league since Josh Allen.
Richardson needs reps more than anything for his development, but he is farther along than most will give him credit for. He flashes brilliant mechanics and accuracy in stretches but needs to make that consistent to be great.
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
Who:
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer
Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings
If the Vikings end up hiring Brian Flores, getting a cornerback like Porter Jr. should be a priority. His skill set would flourish in a man-coverage-heavy system like Flores’. Porter Jr. is excellent in press coverage and attacks the ball relentlessly.
LSU EDGE B.J. Ojulari
Who:
If the Vikings stay in a 3-4, they would be smart to add a pass rusher like Ojulari. His brother Azeez is currently with the New York Giants and they are very similar players and his ability to thrive around the edge with speed and quickness would make him a great option.
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
Who:
Vikings Wire’s Matt Anderson
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling
The Bulldogs have themselves a great player but it’s all unrealized potential. Ringo didn’t take that step which you wanted to see but the size, length and athleticism are all apparent on film. He received a second-round grade for me but the traits will likely have him drafted earlier than that.
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
Who:
ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr.
The 33rd Team’s Scouting Department
Fantasy Pros’ Mike Fanelli
Forbes is an intriguing player. He has the height, length and ball skills to be successful. The biggest question about him is his size. He is listed at 180 lbs and has incredibly slender legs. He is built very similarly to Cameron Dantzler who the Vikings obviously know well.
Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
Who:
I find it difficult to see Murphy finding his way outside of the top 10-15 due to what will likely be his insane testing numbers. As a true pass rusher, he is raw and will need time to develop, but the tools are evident and just need some refining. He would be a home run selection for the Vikings if he makes it that far down.
USC's Jordan Addison
Who:
Pro Football Network’s Joe Broback
Pro Football Network’s Oliver Hodgkinson
The Vikings need a true WR2 opposite of Justin Jefferson and Addison looks the part. His route running nuance, speed and quickness would be incredibly appealing opposite Jefferson and he would an ideal scenario for the Vikings.
Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Who:
Van Ness is an interesting player for the Vikings. He is compared to Rashan Gary with their style of play and lack of truly developed skills as a pass rusher. He will likely test off the charts and be a riser throughout the process.
Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Who:
Pro Football Focus’ Marcus Mosher
Vikings Wire’s Kevin Fielder
Banks is a fun, physical cornerback that has really good ball skills and the athleticism to thrive on the back end. He doesn’t always trust his technique on the back end but when he does, he can keep up with elite level wide receivers.
Overview
Through four weeks the Vikings have selected 73 total players with 32 unique prospects.
