04-14-2020, 09:10 PM
Took a little longer than I had hoped, but here is mock 2.0. My hope is to publish an additional mock later this week with a final version by draft day. We will see what time allows for, but hope you enjoy! As always this is not exact and plays around with different names to allow all of you to learn about additional players in the draft class and who potential could fit the Vikings needs come draft day.
1(22) - TRADE: Instead of trading up in this mock the Vikings opt to trade back in the 1st round with Baltimore trading picks 1(22) & 6(201) for 1(28) & 3(92). Come draft day the 22nd pick may end up being a trade-up hot spot. If Jordan Love remains on the board team in the top of the 2nd may want to get ahead of both New Orleans & New England. Aside from Love this is also a spot for a LB ahead of two LB hungry teams. If the Vikings let the draft come to them I don't think it will be difficult to find a trade partner, which is half the battle in trading down.
1(25) - Josh Jones (OT / Houston): I am always a bit leery about non Power-5 OT's, but Jones has been the epitome of consistent for the Cougars and the Senior proved just that. Jones is a natural mover on the left side with the athleticism to get onto the second level without laboring. His technique will need some work and he'll be taken for a ride at times early in his career due to this. But he is a day 1 starter at LT which has tremendous value in round 1. If he can improve his technique his potential isn't far off from the top-tier of OTs this draft class offers.
1(28) via BAL - Jaylon Johnson (CB / Utah): Here is a guy who may surprise come draft day and have his name called in the late teens. After Henderson & Okudah the 2nd tier of CBs is a choose your flavor exercise and will be very scheme dependent. Johnson boasts great athleticism and the physicality to play press-man, bump & run, and play off coverage with enough contact to nag the receiver. He is a plug & play starter on the outside, which is an immediate need. He will need to adapt his game to the NFL level since he wants to bully receivers down the field. This will be his biggest battle since he occasionally panics when he loses his touch point on the receiver. The good news is that he gets his head around and can play without a visual on the receiver. He likely lacks elite CB1 upside but could end up being a 10 years starter in the league. The Vikings should feel comfortable his him & Hughes on the outside.
2(58) - K.J. Hamler (WR / Penn State): Unless one of the elite WR talents gets in range of pick 22 there will be multiple WRs available to the Vikings in the 2nd round. Depending on how the board falls, the 2nd tier of WRs may end up being suppressed since the tier is so wide. In this mock the Vikings opt to take Hamler. Over the past few years the Vikings have made it a point to draft very young players with high upside. Hamler fits that mold to a 'T'. Although he doesn't naturally track the ball and deal with drops, Hamler is electric with the ball in his hands. Although he likely won't be a natural boundary player he can extend the field vertically from the slot, which is a key in today's pass happy league. He also can take many of the manufactured touches Diggs is leaving from a season ago. To add value he also will be an elite kick & punt returner in the NFL which is an additional area of improvement for MN.
2(59) via SEA - Justin Madubuike (DT / Texas A&M): Another trade! This time the Vikings package their own 3rd round pick #89 along with #92 via BAL to move back into round 2. Although the Vikings were able to replace Linval Joseph with Michael Pierce in free agency they still lack a consistent interior pass rush. Madubuike brings high level twitch and straight line speed to get after the QB and push the pocket. Although undersized, his athleticism pops out on film. He will need to work on getting off the line a bit faster and how to use his hands. If he can do that, watch out. Although he won't immediately be a 3-down contributor he offers a nice compliment to Shamar Stephen who is much more stout.
3(105) - Isaiah Hodgins (WR / Oregon State): The Vikings will need to walk away from this draft class with more than a single receiver and can find value in later round 3 / early round 4. Hodgins is more of your 'X' receiver who you can line up on the outside. He has an outstanding catch radius and has the size to go up and come down with contested catches down the field and in the red zone. Although he is quick in & out of routes he won't win with speed vertically, which limits his high-end upside. But he definitely brings a different flavor to the Vikings WR room which now includes: Thielen, Hamler, Johnson, Hodgins, and Hollins.
1(22) - TRADE: Instead of trading up in this mock the Vikings opt to trade back in the 1st round with Baltimore trading picks 1(22) & 6(201) for 1(28) & 3(92). Come draft day the 22nd pick may end up being a trade-up hot spot. If Jordan Love remains on the board team in the top of the 2nd may want to get ahead of both New Orleans & New England. Aside from Love this is also a spot for a LB ahead of two LB hungry teams. If the Vikings let the draft come to them I don't think it will be difficult to find a trade partner, which is half the battle in trading down.
1(25) - Josh Jones (OT / Houston): I am always a bit leery about non Power-5 OT's, but Jones has been the epitome of consistent for the Cougars and the Senior proved just that. Jones is a natural mover on the left side with the athleticism to get onto the second level without laboring. His technique will need some work and he'll be taken for a ride at times early in his career due to this. But he is a day 1 starter at LT which has tremendous value in round 1. If he can improve his technique his potential isn't far off from the top-tier of OTs this draft class offers.
1(28) via BAL - Jaylon Johnson (CB / Utah): Here is a guy who may surprise come draft day and have his name called in the late teens. After Henderson & Okudah the 2nd tier of CBs is a choose your flavor exercise and will be very scheme dependent. Johnson boasts great athleticism and the physicality to play press-man, bump & run, and play off coverage with enough contact to nag the receiver. He is a plug & play starter on the outside, which is an immediate need. He will need to adapt his game to the NFL level since he wants to bully receivers down the field. This will be his biggest battle since he occasionally panics when he loses his touch point on the receiver. The good news is that he gets his head around and can play without a visual on the receiver. He likely lacks elite CB1 upside but could end up being a 10 years starter in the league. The Vikings should feel comfortable his him & Hughes on the outside.
2(58) - K.J. Hamler (WR / Penn State): Unless one of the elite WR talents gets in range of pick 22 there will be multiple WRs available to the Vikings in the 2nd round. Depending on how the board falls, the 2nd tier of WRs may end up being suppressed since the tier is so wide. In this mock the Vikings opt to take Hamler. Over the past few years the Vikings have made it a point to draft very young players with high upside. Hamler fits that mold to a 'T'. Although he doesn't naturally track the ball and deal with drops, Hamler is electric with the ball in his hands. Although he likely won't be a natural boundary player he can extend the field vertically from the slot, which is a key in today's pass happy league. He also can take many of the manufactured touches Diggs is leaving from a season ago. To add value he also will be an elite kick & punt returner in the NFL which is an additional area of improvement for MN.
2(59) via SEA - Justin Madubuike (DT / Texas A&M): Another trade! This time the Vikings package their own 3rd round pick #89 along with #92 via BAL to move back into round 2. Although the Vikings were able to replace Linval Joseph with Michael Pierce in free agency they still lack a consistent interior pass rush. Madubuike brings high level twitch and straight line speed to get after the QB and push the pocket. Although undersized, his athleticism pops out on film. He will need to work on getting off the line a bit faster and how to use his hands. If he can do that, watch out. Although he won't immediately be a 3-down contributor he offers a nice compliment to Shamar Stephen who is much more stout.
3(105) - Isaiah Hodgins (WR / Oregon State): The Vikings will need to walk away from this draft class with more than a single receiver and can find value in later round 3 / early round 4. Hodgins is more of your 'X' receiver who you can line up on the outside. He has an outstanding catch radius and has the size to go up and come down with contested catches down the field and in the red zone. Although he is quick in & out of routes he won't win with speed vertically, which limits his high-end upside. But he definitely brings a different flavor to the Vikings WR room which now includes: Thielen, Hamler, Johnson, Hodgins, and Hollins.
