The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.
Each week throughout the leadup to the NFL draft, I will be doing different seven-round mock drafts for the Vikings as a way to explore different scenarios. You never know who might fall to you and how that could cause a ripple effect and being ready for those situations is paramount come draft weekend.
In the second rendition of our seven-round mock draft series, what could a draft look like that has the Vikings trading Justin Jefferson to get the quarterback of the future at third overall?
Mock Draft 1.0
Mock Draft 2.0
Mock Draft 3.0
Mock Draft 4.0
Mock Draft 5.0
The trade
To make this trade, we used the baseline of the Jacksonville Jaguars trade of Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams. That trade was as follows.
- 2020 first-round pick
- 2021 first-round pick
- 2021 fourth-round pick
At this point in their careers, Jefferson is objectively better at his position than Ramsey is at his so the value should be a tad more. That ended up being 3rd overall, 68th overall and a first round pick in 2025. Is this trade likely? I doubt it. Jefferson has shown nothing that says he wants to be traded and I don’t see Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. However, if a trade were to happen, this is similar to what that trade might look like.
3. LSU QB Jayden Daniels
Based on how the board fell, Daniels was the best quarterback on the board. Caleb Williams and Drake Maye were taken at first and second overall and Daniels is my QB3 in this class. Daniels gives you an impressive dual-threat ability where he can gash you not just for a 10-yard run, but be a threat to take it the distance at anytime. There are some concerns, especially with how Daniels was such a late bloomer but the growth he showed in his two years at LSU is more than enough to get a team excited.
11. Alabama CB Terrion Arnold
At 11th overall, the best case scenario would be for one of two receivers to be here in either Washington’s Rome Odunze or LSU’s Malik Nabers. They get taken earlier here so the Vikings go with the best player on the board in Arnold. Both a versatile and aggressive cornerback, Arnold has the size and ability to be a true CB1 in the NFL.
42. Washington WR Ja'Lynn Polk
You won’t be able to replace Jefferson. It would be stupid to try. What you can do is fill out your wide receiver room with talent. Jordan Addison can step into Jefferson’s role in terms of usage and the selection of Polk would give the Vikings some size on the outside. Polk thrived with Washington down the field, thriving in jump ball situations with excellent body control.
68. Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley
Tyler’s Scouting Report
The one thing that the Vikings don’t have in this new wide receiver room is a receiver who is great at yards after catch situations. There arguably isn’t anyone better at them than Corley, who thrived with the ball in his hands for the Hilltoppers. In 2022, Corley forced 40 missed tackles with 75%+ of his yards coming after the catch.
109. Louisville CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr.
When I watched his film, I was blown away by his aggressiveness and smooth movement skills. His consistency in those areas were impressive and Brownlee’s stock is on the rise. I have a second round grade on Brownlee and wouldn’t be surprised to see a team prefer him earlier in the draft.
130. Clemson DT Tyler Davis
The Vikings are in need of defensive tackles and Davis fits in as more of a nose tackle. Is slightly undersized for the position but does a good job eating up space and has the power to attack in pass rush. He has concerns with explosivness and leverage but projects to be a good rotational player.
145. Louisville RB Isaac Guerendo
Running back is going to be a position that the Vikings need to find a way to upgrade. I made the argument to go after Saquon Barkley on The Real Forno Show this past Monday but that could be a pipe dream. If they don’t do that, taking at least one running back to fix the position is likely. Guerendo is a nice dual-threat pack with the speed and power to thrive in the Vikings multiple style run concepts.
157. Missouri OT Javon Foster
The Vikings need to find depth at offensive line this offseason and getting a player or two rookie deal is paramount in terms of maximizing the salary cap. Foster went to Mobile and acquitted himself well and is a tackle worth developing. He would be a good option as a swing tackle.
166. Miami FL ILB/S James Williams
The Vikings desperately need to get help on the second level, especially with Josh Metellus having played significant snaps as a quasi-linebacker. The key to the modern linebacker is having the athleticism and length to pair with the proper size. Williams has that and then some but isn’t a traditional linebacker as he played safety at Miami. Give him a year or two to get comfortable and you could have something here.
176. Florida Atlantic NT Evan Anderson
Nose tackles are criminally undervalued in the NFL draft. You get talented players drafted later than other positions because they are such a specialized position. Anderson looks on film like an NFL player with his ability to handle double teams and get penetration in any situation.
227. South Dakota State RB Isaiah Davis
Taking another shot at running back is an interesting idea. Davis was a stud for the Jackrabbits helping lead them to two FCS National Championships. The big question for him is going to be speed, as he doesn’t seem to have a lot of juice. However, he’s great in terms of seeing the field and breaking tackles in the open field.
