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.
I have now done four mock drafts for the Vikings this offseason and they all have taken a slightly different turn each time. This one has the Vikings prioritizing a field-stretching receiver.
Mock draft 1.0
Mock draft 2.0
Mock draft 3.0
Mock draft 4.0
23. TCU WR Quentin Johnston
Wide receiver has been a need that I have targeted as the Vikings’ top need this offseason. Getting Justin Jefferson a running mate should be the priority as having a weapon to take pressure off of Jefferson could be just what the team needs to make a step offensively.
What Johnston brings to the table is a true field stretcher that has the tools to develop into a dominant X-receiver. This excerpt from my scouting report shows what he can bring.
“Shows above-average quickness for someone his size. Can evade defenders in short spaces with his feet and sheds tacklers with both his quickness and play strength. Has fluid hips to pair with his speed and quickness.
Route running shows some nuance. He can work his way through contact during the route and not lose a lot of speed. Has the ability to recognize where the defenders are in zone coverage and adjust accordingly.”
87. Washington State LB Daiyan Henley
The Vikings are likely to move on from both Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks this offseason leaving only Brian Asamoah as someone who would be a capable starter in the NFL. That would leave a big hole for the Vikings to fill.
Henley would be a really good addition to the Vikings linebackers corps. He acquitted himself well at the Senior Bowl and showed that his development is in a good spot. As a former wide receiver, he is still learning the position but his physicality and athleticism make him a prospect worth betting on.
119. South Carolina CB Darius Rush
The Vikings will need to address the cornerback position this offseason. The big question is do they have to do so in the NFL draft? I think they do, but it doesn’t have to be in the first round. One of the reasons that you don’t have to is because of the depth in this class.
Rush became the first defensive player to make the All-Forno team which will come out in full the week of the NFL draft. Rush is the prototype for what Brian Flores wants from his cornerbacks. Good in press coverage and has the size and athleticism to recover brilliantly.
160. Texas A&M RB Devon Achane
With Alexander Mattison a free agent and Dalvin Cook potentially going to get either released or traded, the Vikings will need to find a running back to add to the roster. Luckily, this running class is loaded with talent and you can find a starter late in the draft.
Achane is going to be an interesting prospect. A player that is somewhat slight, Achane has sprinter speed with a recorded 10.22-second 100-meter dash. That type of explosive speed along with a one-cut ability makes him a good fit for the zone running scheme the Vikings employ.
177. Texas A&M CB Jaylon Jones
Cornerback is a position that needs talent so why not fortify the position with a high-upside talent that should honestly go higher than this in the draft. Jones has the size and athleticism that you want to develop and has even been mocked to the Vikings in the first round.
