04-08-2022, 01:16 PM
It took a few weeks longer than I intended, but here is Mock 1.0. I've finally found enough time in this busy life to watch enough film to feel confident in mocking out some scenarios per usual leading up to the draft. Welcome to draft season!
1 (12): TRADE - The Vikings are in a prime spot to move down for an O-line or WR needy team in the mid-teens. I could see teams in the 20's having interest as well but don't believe Kwesi will want to move back that far. Vikings end up dealing the pick along with 6(192) to the Saints for their 3rd (98) and 4th (120) round selections.
1 (16) via NO: Trent McDuffie (CB Washington) - After moving back the Vikings end up with one of their top corner targets on the board. McDuffie is going to check a lot of boxes for the Vikings and the top-3 corners in this draft are interchangeable. Donatell's scheme is CB friendly but does require the outside corners to keep play in front of them and crash down, a specialty of McDuffie. Historically FO's associated with Kwesi have valued younger players (he is a junior) and those with productivity in college. I feel like McDuffie will check a lot of boxes here. Trading back ends up being a safe move for MN due to the depth of this draft class. If the corners come off the board you can get a starter through the 3rd round. Backup selections could either be EDGE or WR.
2 (46): Drake Jackson (EDGE USC) - Vikings keep it within the PAC-12 to kick-off the 2nd round. There are a few comparable EDGE rushers that will come off the board in the late 1st/ early 2nd and I would anticipate the Vikings could attack the position there and walk away with some major value. Other names would be Boye Mafe or AK (Arnold E). In Jackson the Vikings get a flexible and highly athletic edge player who hasn't put it all together quite yet. With NFL coaching and added consistency he should develop into a starting 34 OLB. Pass rusher is still a sneaky need for the Vikings since they plan to move ZaDarius Smith inside on late downs.
3 (77): Alec Pierce (WR Cincinnati) - WR is more of a want than need for the Vikings offense, but why not hit another premium position with depth early in the draft. Pierce is a player many are sleeping on but he is going to start early in his NFL career. He is a big slot player who has the ability to win off the line to play across the field. How does he fit in the Vikings offense? He reminds me quite a bit of Robert Woods. Justin Jefferson is going to be moved around the formation to find advantageous matchups. Thielen will have a large role in the offense but adding another player who can slide inside and block effectively while also being able to win outside would be huge.
3 (98) via NO: Cole Strange (C/OG Chattanooga) - The Vikings have connected to Strange throughout the pre-draft process and I can understand why. He is instant competition across the entire interior O-line. If anything, the Vikings want to have a battle royal for their interior O-line spots during training camp and adding rookie depth would be a good next step. I personally believe Strange likely will play C in the NFL and it would be good to bring in some added competition for Bradbury. If anything else they are lacking center depth as a whole.
4 (120) via NO: Kalon Barnes (CB Baylor) - Another player the Vikings have been keeping tabs on. Barnes is more traits than production at this point, but the athleticism and play speed are apparent on film. Barnes likely projects as a slot corner in the NFL but has the opportunity to sit behind Chandon Sullivan for the 2022 season. In the end the Vikings double-up at CB and end up walking into the season with good depth both inside and on the outside. A surprising outcome given their depth only a week or two ago.
5 (156): Esezi Otomewu (DE Minnesota) - Probably not the MN front-7 player you're familiar with, but Otomequ has the chance to develop up-front in the NFL. He projects as a 5-tech in the NFL but has some rotational upside early on in his career. He needs to work on disengaging his hands and his overall pass rush plan. But the length and skillset are definitely there.
6 (184) Jake Ferguson (TE Wisconsin) - Ferguson is somewhat hard to put on a draft board since he has an overall skillset of a 4th round pick, but no stellar traits that typically convince teams to pull the trigger. As a player Ferguson is probably a lower upside pick but he projects as a high floor TE2/3 in the NFL which is what the Vikings are currently lacking. Irv Smith Jr. will have a big role in the Vikings offense but competition is needed to replace Tyler Conklin's role in the offense.
6 (191) Percy Butler (S Louisiana) - He needs more seasoning before he is ready to start at safety in the NFL, but he has high end read/react skills which you like to see on the back-end. What is a little suspicious is the lack of ball production once making the proper reads. The Vikings needs added safety depth and Butler was one of the best special team players in the nation this past season. Seems like a later round pick who can stick on the roster.
7 (251) Jeff Gunter (OLB Coastal Carolina) - You may see Gunter higher on some big boards, but he isn't viewed as highly by NFL teams. He couldn't get on the field at NC State before finding his way back to Coastal Carolina. He sets hard edges at OLB in the run game but hasn't found many ways to get after the passer. He has the size/length you look for in EDGE rushers so he is worthwhile camp competition. He likely ends up on the practice squad.
1 (12): TRADE - The Vikings are in a prime spot to move down for an O-line or WR needy team in the mid-teens. I could see teams in the 20's having interest as well but don't believe Kwesi will want to move back that far. Vikings end up dealing the pick along with 6(192) to the Saints for their 3rd (98) and 4th (120) round selections.
1 (16) via NO: Trent McDuffie (CB Washington) - After moving back the Vikings end up with one of their top corner targets on the board. McDuffie is going to check a lot of boxes for the Vikings and the top-3 corners in this draft are interchangeable. Donatell's scheme is CB friendly but does require the outside corners to keep play in front of them and crash down, a specialty of McDuffie. Historically FO's associated with Kwesi have valued younger players (he is a junior) and those with productivity in college. I feel like McDuffie will check a lot of boxes here. Trading back ends up being a safe move for MN due to the depth of this draft class. If the corners come off the board you can get a starter through the 3rd round. Backup selections could either be EDGE or WR.
2 (46): Drake Jackson (EDGE USC) - Vikings keep it within the PAC-12 to kick-off the 2nd round. There are a few comparable EDGE rushers that will come off the board in the late 1st/ early 2nd and I would anticipate the Vikings could attack the position there and walk away with some major value. Other names would be Boye Mafe or AK (Arnold E). In Jackson the Vikings get a flexible and highly athletic edge player who hasn't put it all together quite yet. With NFL coaching and added consistency he should develop into a starting 34 OLB. Pass rusher is still a sneaky need for the Vikings since they plan to move ZaDarius Smith inside on late downs.
3 (77): Alec Pierce (WR Cincinnati) - WR is more of a want than need for the Vikings offense, but why not hit another premium position with depth early in the draft. Pierce is a player many are sleeping on but he is going to start early in his NFL career. He is a big slot player who has the ability to win off the line to play across the field. How does he fit in the Vikings offense? He reminds me quite a bit of Robert Woods. Justin Jefferson is going to be moved around the formation to find advantageous matchups. Thielen will have a large role in the offense but adding another player who can slide inside and block effectively while also being able to win outside would be huge.
3 (98) via NO: Cole Strange (C/OG Chattanooga) - The Vikings have connected to Strange throughout the pre-draft process and I can understand why. He is instant competition across the entire interior O-line. If anything, the Vikings want to have a battle royal for their interior O-line spots during training camp and adding rookie depth would be a good next step. I personally believe Strange likely will play C in the NFL and it would be good to bring in some added competition for Bradbury. If anything else they are lacking center depth as a whole.
4 (120) via NO: Kalon Barnes (CB Baylor) - Another player the Vikings have been keeping tabs on. Barnes is more traits than production at this point, but the athleticism and play speed are apparent on film. Barnes likely projects as a slot corner in the NFL but has the opportunity to sit behind Chandon Sullivan for the 2022 season. In the end the Vikings double-up at CB and end up walking into the season with good depth both inside and on the outside. A surprising outcome given their depth only a week or two ago.
5 (156): Esezi Otomewu (DE Minnesota) - Probably not the MN front-7 player you're familiar with, but Otomequ has the chance to develop up-front in the NFL. He projects as a 5-tech in the NFL but has some rotational upside early on in his career. He needs to work on disengaging his hands and his overall pass rush plan. But the length and skillset are definitely there.
6 (184) Jake Ferguson (TE Wisconsin) - Ferguson is somewhat hard to put on a draft board since he has an overall skillset of a 4th round pick, but no stellar traits that typically convince teams to pull the trigger. As a player Ferguson is probably a lower upside pick but he projects as a high floor TE2/3 in the NFL which is what the Vikings are currently lacking. Irv Smith Jr. will have a big role in the Vikings offense but competition is needed to replace Tyler Conklin's role in the offense.
6 (191) Percy Butler (S Louisiana) - He needs more seasoning before he is ready to start at safety in the NFL, but he has high end read/react skills which you like to see on the back-end. What is a little suspicious is the lack of ball production once making the proper reads. The Vikings needs added safety depth and Butler was one of the best special team players in the nation this past season. Seems like a later round pick who can stick on the roster.
7 (251) Jeff Gunter (OLB Coastal Carolina) - You may see Gunter higher on some big boards, but he isn't viewed as highly by NFL teams. He couldn't get on the field at NC State before finding his way back to Coastal Carolina. He sets hard edges at OLB in the run game but hasn't found many ways to get after the passer. He has the size/length you look for in EDGE rushers so he is worthwhile camp competition. He likely ends up on the practice squad.
