Mock draft simulator has Vikings selecting this freak athlete defensive lineman

It's just over two months away before the NFL draft, so get ready for two more months of mock drafts and speculation.

The Minnesota Vikings hold the No. 24 overall pick in the first round of this year's NFL draft, and there should be a wide array of players they can choose there who can make an immediate impact. And there's almost no consensus on who that might be. Pro Football Focus (PFF) came up with "dream scenarios" for each team in the draft and free agency, and had the Vikings drafting Georgia safety Malaki Starks in addition to signing Miami Dolphins free agent safety Jevon Holland.

That same day, PFF released a mock draft where the Vikings select Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron at No. 24. Less than a week ago, NFL.com put together a mock draft where the Vikings take South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori at No. 24.

There will be no shortage of names thrown out in the coming months, but PFF put together a mock draft simulator and tracked the most-picked prospects for every NFL team. For the Vikings, that was Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant, one of the premier defensive tackles in college football last season. Grant finished the year with 32 tackles, five passes batted down and three sacks. He received an 83.7 defensive grade from PFF, 24th best of 895 interior D-linemen.

Grant was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, and he came in third on "Feldman's Freak List" in The Athletic before this season. Grant was coming off a national championship with the Wolverines in 2023-24, and his combination of speed and size — Grant is 6-foot-3, 339 pounds and sprints at nearly 19 mph — made him a prime candidate for the list.

In 2024, Grant played the vast majority of his snaps in the interior, only seeing a few in the box. He was a clear standout against the run, receiving a 87.5 run-defense grade from PFF, and strong in pressure, earning a 75.3 pass-rush grade.

Grant's showed steady improvement in 2024 after posting a strong sophomore season the year prior. Grant had 29 total tackles as a sophomore in addition to four passes batted down, 3.5 sacks and an interception. Overall, he received an 80.4 defensive grade in 2023 from PFF and a 73.0 run-defense grade, and those numbers climbed in 2024. His tackling grade in 2024 (69.0), however, was down from the year prior (77.5), as was his pass-rush grade (from 78.4 to 75.3).

Still, Grant overall just appears to fit the mold of what NFL defenses are now looking for on the interior. With the size and freak athleticism, he has all the potential in the world to be a great pass rusher, and he's already demonstrated that he can stop the run. Brian Flores can give him all the tools to be a difference-maker, and would likely love to have Grant in the fold.

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