With free agency yet to begin, the Minnesota Vikings’ approach in the NFL Draft is unclear. Although we know that the Vikings will likely favor defense, the position they’ll address remains a question mark.
The Vikings have needs across the board on the defense, including edge rusher. Nate Davis of USA Today released a mock draft on Tuesday exploring that possibility. Davis had the Vikings selecting Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness.
One way to address the NFC’s worst pass defense? Infuse more juice into its pass rush, and the 6-5, 272-pound Van Ness can do just that – especially if a guy who came off the bench for the Hawkeyes is allowed to start out with a focus on sub packages and passing downs.
Van Ness is a quality prospect, but his tape doesn’t support his physical traits. As Davis mentions, Van Ness would need time to develop his game and would likely be limited to pass-rush packages early on.