Inside The Vikings

ESPN: Vikings Primed to Move Back in Round One, Are Team to Watch for Trent Williams

These recent reports from ESPN insiders should be interesting for Vikings fans.
ESPN: Vikings Primed to Move Back in Round One, Are Team to Watch for Trent Williams
ESPN: Vikings Primed to Move Back in Round One, Are Team to Watch for Trent Williams

Happy draft week, folks. Let's get into two recent reports from ESPN insiders about the Vikings.

Fowler: Vikings "primed to move back" with one of their first-round picks

According to ESPN staff writer Jeremy Fowler, there are multiple executives around the league who believe the Vikings will trade back with one of their two picks at 22 and 25.

Multiple execs believe the Minnesota Vikings are primed to move back. They hold the Nos. 22 and 25 picks, and their two clear needs – corner and receiver – offer trade-back value.

Most agree there's a clean break at corner after Jeff Okudah (Ohio State) and CJ Henderson (Florida), and players in the second tier aren't guys you necessarily have to stretch your draft capital to get, multiple execs say. They are good prospects, but you can let them come to you.

The Vikings could package one of their first-rounders for more volume, on the way to getting impact players at both positions. Some project A.J. Terrell from Clemson as the No. 3 corner because of his size and press-man ability. If so, that could still leave solid choices late in the first round or early in the second round, including LSU's Kristian Fulton, Alabama's Trevon Diggs (former Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs' brother) and Utah's Jaylon Johnson. Some teams have second-round grades on these players but really like them overall.

The logic here certainly makes sense. Both the corner and receiver classes are seen as quite deep this year, so the Vikings might be able to get a solid starter at each position on Day 2, especially if they take an offensive tackle with their other first-round pick. We all know how much Rick Spielman enjoys trading back.

Keim: Vikings "the team to watch" for Trent Williams

ESPN's Redskins reporter John Keim had an interesting update on the Trent Williams situation in his latest podcast.

“I know Minnesota was definitely one of the teams interested," he said. "I think they’d probably be the team to watch. Whether they get him or not, I don't know."

There are cases to be made for and against the Vikings trading for Williams, but the reward would seem to outweigh the risks. A potential blockbuster involving the star tackle, perhaps with Riley Reiff or Anthony Harris heading to Washington, is something to watch as the draft approaches.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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