Eric dunn Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 (edited) I usually do a few mocks per year, but didnt have the time this year for others. Im doing this mock on what i believe the Vikings will do, not what I would do if i were them. I feel like Minnesota is in the midst of a pivotal offseason, and this years draft is arguably the most important for this regime. I think this regime has done a phenomenal job in building a contending team, but at some point the Wilfs are going to want to see a SB. So this draft i believe will be alot about filling holes & winning games next season. I think the Kirk Cousins extension tells us alot about where this team is at and how close they think they are. I dont necessarily agree, but i understand that jobs are on the line. I also understand their logic, because this is still a very talented team. Im not a believer in Kirk Cousins, but we are not in position to select a top QB. So technically Kirk is the best option for the next few years. I also project MIN will sign Dre Kirkpatrick after the draft. Anywho, here's the mock. Feedback is much appreciated! 1st(22nd). The Vikings select A.J Terrell, CB, Clemson..... Quote Terrell in my opinion is the best scheme fit for the Vikings of the top available CB's. He is a Zimmer type CB, long & athletic with excellent man coverage skills. He PFF have him an 80.7 grade this past year in coverage. Terrell struggled badly against LSU this past season facing Jamar Chase, for the most part he was there in coverage but still was getting smoked. But i dont think one bad game should tarnish his stock that much. I think if he's available, he will firmly be on MIN's radar. Although there is some late chatter that he could go top 20. Picking a CB early is obviously necessary with the current situation. Terrell will have the opportunity to start day 1 for the Vikings, and should be looked at moving forward at the future CB1. This pick helps fill a HUGE need, and MIN may pick a few. If its not Terrell, i think a name to keep an eye on could be Jaylon Johnson. Fulton is also a possibility. I love Gladney but his size is something that makes me think twice, especially with a small type CB in Hughes already starting. Seems like there is athletic threshold for CB's in this system and Terrell exceeds that. 1st(25th). The Vikings select Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise St..... Quote Scheme, scheme, scheme... This will be a common theme of mine as Minnesota seems to be all in on rebuilding this O-Line with zone blocking/athletic OL. Cleveland is the most athletic OT in this class and in my opinion has elite pass blocking potential. Ezra allowed less than 20 total pressures the last 3 seasons. Could have issues anchoring early in his career, but he will get stronger. I think outside of the top 4 OT's Cleveland has the highest potential. I know ALOT of people believe this is a reach, and i agree. But i really think he is high on MIN's board, because of his pass blocking & athleticism. After extending Kirk Cousins, finding a way to protect him HAS to be a priority. If we dont, then we stand no chance. I think after the SF playoff game last year, we all saw that re-building the trenches is necessary. So this pick is a part of that. I believe a OT selected early will be looked at as a potential day 1 starter, which for 2020 will fill two holes. Because i think Reiff will slide in to LG, something that has been talked about previously. Also gives them flexibility to potentially get rid of get rid of Reiff's contract. Regardless LT is a HUGE need movinh forward. We will need someone to help deal with Za'darius Smith & K.Mack. I think within a couple years, Ezra could be one of the leagues better pass blocking LT's. He actually reminds me of Brian O'Neil. Other options are Josh Jones & Austin Jackson, both of which also fit the scheme. 2nd(58th). The Vikings select Michael Pittman Jr, WR, USC..... Quote Pittman is a big athletic WR who in my opinion has the best hands in the draft. Has pretty good route running ability & is an excellent jump ball guy. I think he has the potential to be a steal here in the 2nd. Any other class i think Pittman is a late 1st, and he still could be. At 6-4, running a 4.5 is excellent and he also turned in a solid 3 cone drill for his size. He also has experience playing on special teams which surely will win over Zimmer's heart. I think Pittman profiles as a future #1 WR in the NFL. I think his quickness & fluidity are under-rated for a big man. Also likely a day 1 starter for MIN helping fill the void of Diggs. I think IF Jalen Reagor is available here in the 2nd, he will be the pick. Although i dont project he will be. I have also heard Hamler mentioned with MIN, but im just not a fan (size+drops). I think Pittman has Michael Thomas potential. Another position where i think MIN could double dip. Thielen-Pittman-Sharpe are nice trio, with some size. 3rd(89). The Vikings select Darrell Taylor, Edge, Tennessee..... Quote Taylor is up there in this draft as one of the most physically gifted edge rushers in the class. He is an explosive player, who can really bend. He was PFF's highest graded edge rusher in the SEC last season. Also had 4 games with an 80+ pass rush grade, more than Chaisson, Matos, Okwara, Uche & Terrell Lewis. Did not test at the combine that know of, but if he had i think he would have blown it up. He has the size & length (6-4, 267) that Zimmer & Patterson covet. And i believe he could be a pro-bowl player with great coaching from Patterson. Him & Hunter could be a scary duo by 2021. If you watch some of the highlights on this guy you can really see the juice off the edge & bend. I think him & Zuniga are my favorite edge rushers outside of the 1st round. Odenigo will be the starter next year, but Taylor would be a rotational player with potential to win a starting job. I think there's a decent chance Griffen comes back still, and if so i think MIN could wait for an edge player. But as of now the depth chart is looking thin at DE, so it should be a priority. MIN has had a history of finding DE's later in the draft so thats why i tend to believe they dont take one in the 1st unless an elite talent slips. Taylor is one of my fav players in the draft. 3rd(105comp). The Vikings trade the 105th pick in the 3rd round to Carolina for a 4th(113) & 6th(184)!4th(113). The Vikings select Netane Muti, G, Fresno St.... Quote One of the best G prospects in this draft, can be a dominant player in both pass protection & run blocking. He pumped 44 reps in the bench press at the combine, so he's a brute. Has plenty of experience at LG, which is where we will need him. The problem is, his injuries which is the only reason i think he could drop. I think the beginning of day 3 is where we see guys like this taken. I realize he could go earlier, but you have to wonder if the current pandemic will affect this because teams cant give him a physical. Also the 3rd-4th round has recently been a spot where MIN has taken an OL. I think Muti has plenty of athleticism to fit the wide zone scheme. In 697 pass blocking snaps at Fresno st, he only allowed 14 pressures. If it wasnt for his injuries, he would be a 2nd round pick.But i would bet teams drop him, and in some cases remove him from their board. In this case, MIN can afford to take a chance with 10+ draft picks. And likely a starter in place (Reiff), so Muti wouldnt be forced to start right away. But if he's healthy, and can stay healthy he has day 1 starter potential at LG. HUGE upgrade on Elflein. 4th(132). The Vikings select McTelvin Agim, DT, Arkansas..... Quote Agim projects as a penetrating 3 tech in a 43. He has some pass rush ability racking up 5 sacks last season, and has experience playing on the edge. He has a very quick first step & is explosive for his size (6-3,310). Had a pretty nice combine running a 4.97 at 310 pounds & pumped 27 reps. He also showed well in the shrine practices, winning 1 on 1s. I think this is another DL who really could blossom with the right coaching. I think 3 tech is a position of need moving forward, but this coaching staff is obviously in love with Shamar Stephen for some dumb reason. I think moving forward Armon Watts & Agim would make a nice combo at 3 tech, which both played together at Arkansas. I think this selection could mean the end of the Jalyn Holmes project. This guy has some serious talent, and could surprise as a rookie if given the opportunity. If you dont know about him, watch him, he has some WOW plays. This is another pick to strengthen the trenches, 49ers game!!! 5th(155). The Vikings select Brandon Jones, S, Texas..... Quote A solid all around safety, who projects to be a starter or a 3rd safety. He doesnt have great size, but he does have solid instincts and good coverage ability. He was also very productive at Texas, racking up 70+ tackles & 2 ints each of the last two seasons. He also will be an immediate special teams player, which will be needed. Jones would immediately be the #3 guy, taking Sendejo's spot. I think that safety is a position i could see being taken much earlier if Harris is traded. But i think the most likely scenario is Harris plays out this year on the tag and walks. Which gives Jones a year to get ready to start, which i think is realistic. I really really want to see MIN take Winfield JR, but i dont think it will happen. Safety is a position that Zimmer downplayed the importance of. So i doubt they go and spend a high draft pick on. They have been good at developing later round/UDFA guys (Kearse, Dejo, Harris). 6th(184) The Vikings select Anthony Gordon, QB, Wash st..... Quote Gordon was super productive last season, has good accuracy, anticipation & mechanics. He was also top 5 in the draft class in highest completion % outside of the numbers last season. And accuracy rating was 2nd, only to Burrow. The more i watch him the more i like him. I think he could be a backup year 1 behind Cousins. I dont think he would have a problem beating out Mannion. I dont think he becomes a super star player, but i think he the kind of guy that sticks around for a while. And we could use a cheap backup. I think there is potential with this guy. He is the Minshew of the class. 6th(201) The Vikings select Javaris Davis, CB, Auburn..... Quote Davis is a smaller type CB at 5-8, but is a special talent. He can play outside or inside, but likely projects to be a NCB. He has legit 4.3 speed and it shows up on tape. He also has very good ball skills. He would provide some depth at NCB behind Mike Hughes. I believe Hughes will be the NCB moving forward, but we all know his injury history. So makes sense to get a guy who can compete there. We also have Meadors & Fields on the roster to compete for that spot. Terrell & Hill will likely be the outside guys when the Vikings go in the nickel. I could also see the Vikings signing a veteran like Dre Kirkpatrick after the draft to have some veteran insurance. 6th(205) The Vikings select Mykal Walker, LB, Fresno St..... Quote Walker is a versatile athletic LB who can also line up on the edge. He is a good blitzer from the LB position, and he could be an ideal backup for Barr or could be in on some pass rush packages. Also another guy who will be a special teams guy. I think LB may actually be taken earlier, but really the Vikings have 4 starting caliber LBs on the team. So i think this is more of a depth pick obviously. But LB depth can be important as we saw Kendricks go down at the end of last year. 7th(219) The Vikings select Darnell Mooney, WR, Tulane..... Quote Need for speed. After losing Diggs, we lost a deep threat and speed. But Mooney brings that element as he ran a 4.3 at the combine and plays fast on the field. He is a smaller type WR that plays bigger than his size. He can play inside or outside, and is one of my favorite sleepers in the draft. He can take it to the house at any time and is being looked at as a version of Hamler. He will join the competition for the 5th WR spot in MIN. But likely could stick around due to his speed, something which MIN doesnt have alot of. And with one of the best deep passing QBs in the league, it makes sense. 7th(249) The Vikings select L'Jarius Sneed, S/CB, Louisiana Tech..... Quote Sneed blew up the combine with a 4.3 40 & 40+ vertical. He is a versatile player who can play nickel CB, outside CB or S. He is on the thinner side for a safety, but he does have coverage ability on the back end. Alot of tools to work with. And Min needs to continue to add to the secondary after losing 5 players there. 7th(253) The Vikings select Danny Pinter, G/C, Ball state..... Quote Another OL who fits the zone scheme very well. He is an athletic OL who started off as a TE. WIll need some time, but he has the tools to be a backup/low end starter at G/C. He played OT in college but most believe he will have to move inside due to length issues Depth chart: QB- Cousins, Gordon RB- Cook, Mattison, Boone FB- Ham WR- Thielen, Pittman Jr, B.Johnson, Sharpe, Mooney TE- Rudolph, Smith, Dillon LT- Cleveland, Hill LG- Reiff, Muti C-Bradbury, Jones RG- Samia, Pinter RT- O'Neil, Udoh DE- Hunter, Odenigbo, Taylor, Keely 3tech- Watts, Agim, Ma'tafa NT- Pierce, Johnson, Stephen LB- Barr, Kendricks, WIlson, Gedeon, Walker, Smith CB-Hughes, Terrell, Kirkpatrick, Hill, Davis, Boyd S- Smith, Harris, Jones, Sneed ST- Bailey, Colquitt, Cutting Edited April 19, 2020 by Eric dunn 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 I’d be happy with the draft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 The Kirkpartrick signing I would not mind, but how could we pay him any less than what Alexander got paid on the Bengals? And if that is the case that Kirkpatrick would get the same or more than Alexander why did they not just sign Alexander? Or better yet Kearse for around 2 mil, no way Kirkpatrick makes that little so if that does happen I would be kind of annoyed by that one because both are younger players with more upside and experience in the system obviously than Kirkpatrick. Terrell I would not mind 1st round but if they did sign Kirkpatrick not sure CB would be the first signing. Cleveland is a reach in the 1st, I would rather have him 2nd or ideally 3rd round. And the idea of Reiff playing OG I do not buy, so that really blows a lot of this up if he cannot make that switch. Would absolutely love Muti in the 4th but he has the upside to be picked in the 2nd or 3rd, would love him on the Vikings though. Pittman I like but he does not have great deep speed and that is what they need, would like his toughness but 2nd round is a little over drafted for him. Agim I like and would not mind that pick, Jones is good but a little reach being that high of a selection. Taylor is not bad but again a reach I feel, he lacks consistency and has never become that super star he should have been on Tennessee. Lacks effort in the run game also and consistency tackling. There are better DEs than him in the draft and not sure he could be a long term consistent starter or not. Anthony Gordon is not a system fit, is not great at playaction or under center and clearly played in an air raid system. Would not fit what the Vikings are doing, decent value late but not sure he is the guy. Sadly Vikings seem pretty set on crap Mannion as the backup, but hopefully Browning can take him out but not even a giant fan of him though but he is a tough kid at least. Sneed and Davis I would not like at CB and S, both would be just drafted on their 40 times because on the field especially Davis he did not show up much over his career I thought. Great workout but on the field it is hard to notice him. Walker I would not mind at LB but he is nothing amazing either, and Pinter would not be there 7th round, but would not mind he can play and is absolutely a scheme fit. I have heard maybe Udoh can play OG for a year so this OL is far more likely and stable potentially but would need to add a OG in the draft. Really depends on if Samia can play, when he had time last year though Udoh did look better and Samia got beat a little but hopefully he is improved and would be hard to not be better than Elflein last year. LT Reiff LG Udoh C Bradbury RG Samia RT O'Neill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 27 minutes ago, Ozzy said: The Kirkpartrick signing I would not mind, but how could we pay him any less than what Alexander got paid on the Bengals? And if that is the case that Kirkpatrick would get the same or more than Alexander why did they not just sign Alexander? Or better yet Kearse for around 2 mil, no way Kirkpatrick makes that little so if that does happen I would be kind of annoyed by that one because both are younger players with more upside and experience in the system obviously than Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick is an outside corner, something that the Vikings never saw Alexander as. And same with Kearse. So, one has really nothing to do with the other. As for signing Kirkpatrick, I doubt he’s looking at a contract any better than what Rhodes got. Especially once the draft is over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 6 minutes ago, SemperFeist said: Kirkpatrick is an outside corner, something that the Vikings never saw Alexander as. And same with Kearse. So, one has really nothing to do with the other. As for signing Kirkpatrick, I doubt he’s looking at a contract any better than what Rhodes got. Especially once the draft is over. To me if they sign Kirkpatrick from more that Alexander or Kearse got that would be nuts, especially considering both former Vikings are more experienced obviously in this system and younger and arguably have more long term upside. Sure Alexander is a slot and Kearse is a slot/safety but so what, I am talking contracts. Clearly if they signed Alexander, Hughes would be an outside corner which he is probably better at than the slot anyway. So filling a outside corner spot is not the point it is the finances of it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle2heaven Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Man...I’d be good with this. I pretty much agree with the majority of selections here and that never happens with other people’s mocks. so it’ll never happen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Kearse didn’t want to be here, so bringing him up is irrelevant to the discussion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric dunn Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 @Ozzy Thanks for the feedback. First point, i think signing a veteran CB makes sense. Especially Kirkpatrick, he has familiarity with Zim & our DB coach. He shouldnt require much more than 1-2mil for about 1 year. Basically this is veteran insurance with nobody on the roster really proven as a starter. At the very least he would be a cheap/no risk signing who could spot start. I firmly believe a veteran CB will be added & he makes the most sense. I believe Mack didnt want to come back, if he did you'd have to think MN could have offered a similar deal. Even with the intention of signing a CB, that is still a high priority need in the draft. Right now we have Boyd, Hughes and Hill. Hughes is coming off back to back season ending seasons, and looks to be better served in the nickel. Hill hasnt proven he can stay out of trouble to be relied upon. And Boyd is still very raw. So Terrell & a vet would be completely reasonable. Terrell starting on one side & Hughes on the other side in base. With Terrell on the outside, Kirkpatrick/Hill competing for the outside spot in nickel packages. As far as Cleveland being a reach, i agree as stated in the reasoning for the pick. But there is alot of buzz around him being a 1st round pick, plus his athleticism pushes him up as well. I think there is a good chance that hes a late 1st round pick. Sometimes there is a OT in the back of the 1st that surprises, just look at the past few years. The Vikings took Bradbury last year because he fit the scheme so well, something tells me Ezra is HIGH on their board. When it comes to Reiff, i think we all saw that he's not the answer at LT. The past two offseasons there has been chatter of moving RR inside, and i believe Zim mentioned it earlier in the offseason as a possibility. He would certainly would be an upgrade on Elflein at LG, and would bring a veteran presence in between Ezra & Bradbury. Also the luxury of potentially being able to purge RR's contract will be intriguing for a team strapped for cap. Muti has a chance to slip with the injuries, but you just never know. Pittman is a guy who imo has potential to be a #1 guy, look at his production & traits & athleticism. If you look at his numbers & Michael Thomas' numbers they are similar, but Pittman is bigger. Alot of people in the media believe Pittman could be gone early 2nd. As far as a speed guy I AGREE. But I think Reagor/Aiyuk will be long gone by then. And i dont see anyone that brings the speed element available there in the 2nd that would be worth the pick. MIN doesnt always look for pure speed, before Diggs was a star they took Treadwell in the 1st. Like i also said, IF Reagor is there i think he would be the pick. But Pittman is a better option than Hamler, DPJ, Higgins, Shenault, or Claypool. We can agree to disagree on the rest of them. I think Taylor has all the traits of an elite edge rusher. And who knows what is a reach or steal at this point? Like i said, this is not what I WOULD DO. It is what i think they will do based off their history & needs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byuvike88 Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Overall I like the draft outside of the Cleveland pick. I've missed seeing some of the mock threads like this so thanks for putting the time in 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krauser Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 This is really good. Agree they’ll take a CB first unless someone drops unexpectedly. I watched a cutup of Chase vs Terrell and thought the CB actually looked pretty good there (considerably better than Waynes’ and Alexander’s draft tape), even at his worst moment. From what little I’ve seen (highlights), I like Jaylon Johnson a little better but he had a shoulder problem and I don’t like drafting injured players. They probably will sign a vet CB before preseason. Kirkpatrick is a decent guess. Alexander evidently thinks he can earn a richer long term extension by if he gets a chance to play outside (which wasn’t happening under Zimmer, he was glued to the slot even when the outside corners were bad/hurt), so he left for a one year prove it deal. He could have signed anywhere (including MIN) for good NCB money, but that’s barely half what a decent outside corner makes, so the move does make sense. I actually like the idea of drafting Cleveland. I don’t think he’s really a 1st round pick talent, so hopefully they could trade down to the top of the 2nd and still land him. Agree that he’s a scheme fit. He’s very similar athletically to O’Neill, actually tested even better. In a redraft for 2018, O’Neill would be considered a fringe 1st round pick (not far off McGlinchey and better than Miller, the two tackles who went in the 1st, but behind Orlando Brown Jr wh9 went in the 3rd). So if Cleveland can hold his own as a rookie and develop into a good starter by 2021, the value would be there. I really like Pittman in the 2nd, he seems like a high floor player. Vikings mainly need a good WR — route running and hands more than speed or burst. Pittman isn’t a freak but he’s athletic enough (way more like Michael Thomas than Treadwell, good comparison). I haven’t watched Taylor or Agim, but I like the idea of them continuing to draft athletic DL in rounds 3-7 and letting them develop. I think they’ll draft a DE before a DT (unless something unexpected happens like Kinlaw falling) as you’re right Zimmer likes having Stephen play on early downs anyway. Muti‘s highlights are super fun though I think they might not think he’s a scheme fit given his size (he reminds me of Hernandez, who they passed on in 2018), and I don’t like drafting players who fall due to injury. I’d rather use the first 3rd round pick on a potential starting guard, not draft a developmental DE and trade down before making that pick. From what little I’ve seen / read, I like Jonah Jackson from OSU, though not sure he’ll be available at #89. I don’t know anything about the late round picks but I like Mooney’s highlights. They need a NCB, 2 backup safeties (assuming Harris eventually extends), a depth LB, and another depth IOL, and you hit those. The depth chart is pretty good but Conklin is TE3 and Zettel would probably be DE3 unless Griffen does come back. Not likely they keep 6 DTs again. Stephen and Pierce are probably the starters, much as I’d like to get rid of Stephen. In this situation, Johnson is DT3, Watts is DT4, Agim and Holmes compete for DT5 / pass rusher, and Mata’afa (who was terrible last year, sadly) doesn’t make it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purplexing Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 OK, except I'd prefer a DE in front of a WR for rounds 2 and 3. There are plenty of receivers on the current roster. But depth and quality of DE is not as strong as is needed to produce a good pass defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 My one concern regarding Cleveland is that his opposition at Boise State does not rise the level of many NFL caliber pass rushers. He may be athletic and a scheme fit, but I wonder how will respond to facing elite defensive ends and edge rushers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cearbhall Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Purplexing said: OK, except I'd prefer a DE in front of a WR for rounds 2 and 3. There are plenty of receivers on the current roster. But depth and quality of DE is not as strong as is needed to produce a good pass defense. That depends on the scheme the team is going with. There has been a lot of speculation about moving to a 4-3 under scheme and there is some evidence in the personnel moves and coaching changes to back that up. The Vikings would be fine at DE with Hunter and Odenigbo. Pierce would be the NT. 3T remains a problem. They have some candidates for the 5T. In the case of moving to 4-3 under DE is may be fine; they need improvements at 3T and 5T is a question mark. The best bet for 3T would be Mata'afa but as Krauser correctly pointed out Mata'afa looked terrible last year. One would have to hope that he looks better in the 4-3 under, which seems possible since he would always be on the weak side with the scheme change coupled with the weight gain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle2heaven Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 6 hours ago, Krauser said: This is really good. I was wondering where you've been! Although I kinda have an idea, I hope you're staying safe and healthy through this all given your profession. I hope the NFL draft can be a much needed positive distraction for you as well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
battle2heaven Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Purplexing said: There are plenty of receivers on the current roster. There is a difference between "plenty of receivers" and plenty of "good" receivers though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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