Throughout this offseason, many people speculate the Minnesota Vikings will address their needs at cornerback or wide receiver in the first round. There are also other needs on the roster, including on the defensive line.
On Wednesday, Charles McDonald of Yahoo Sports released a mock draft that had the Vikings selecting Michigan defensive lineman Mazi Smith.
Mazi Smith didn’t workout at the combine, but he’s still a high-upside defensive tackle that would be a nice dice roll for the Vikings at this point in the draft.
The first thing you need to know about Smith is that he is a strong human and an excellent runner. While he is a little bit of a project, he does have upside when it comes to pass rushing, which is a huge skill to have in Brian Flores’ defense.
The Vikings would likely be criticized to some extent for taking a defensive lineman here when they have needs elsewhere and limited draft capital. If properly coached, he could develop into a mainstay on the defensive line for a long time.
