There has been much argument this offseason about which direction the Minnesota Vikings should go in the first round of the NFL draft in April. Shore up the defense? Or bolster a wide receiving corps to help pull attention off Justin Jefferson? Both are great options and worthy of conversation.
On Friday, Joe Broback of Pro Football Network revealed which side he was on when he had the Vikings selecting North Carolina wide receiver Josh Downs in his latest mock draft.
If Minnesota’s staff decides they want to roll with guys like Lewis Cine, Akayleb Evans, and Andrew Booth Jr., then the secondary might not be the path they take with this pick. Even with those guys, the Vikings may still take a corner, but it also opens up their board for other positions.
Justin Jefferson needs some help, there’s no question about that. K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen provided sparks at times this past year, but the offense could use another weapon. Josh Downs thrives in the slot, and he’d give Minnesota the perfect complement to Jefferson.
Downs would give the Vikings a dynamic playmaker in the wide receiver room, and he could flourish opposite Jefferson. Additionally, Kevin O’Connell would be able to maximize Downs’ speed and ability to get yards after the catch. This would be a strong pick for the Vikings.
