Vikings Seven-Round Mock Draft 2.0: Compensatory Picks Included
It's been nearly a month since I last did a seven-round mock draft for the Vikings. Since then, the NFL combine has come and gone and the Vikings were awarded three compensatory draft picks. We've now got ten picks to work with, not just seven. In lieu of a long intro, let's just fire up the Mock Draft Machine and get right into it. We're still going to hold off on making any trades for now.
Vikings needs, in rough order of urgency: CB, OT, IDL, IOL, S, WR, QB, EDGE, LB
Round 1, Pick 25: Ross Blacklock, IDL, TCU
In this mock, a number of players who are frequently mocked to the Vikings at No. 25 were already off the board, including offensive tackle Josh Jones and corners CJ Henderson, Kristian Fulton, and Jeff Gladney. So instead of reaching at one of those positions, I made Blacklock the third defensive tackle taken in round one. This shouldn't feel like a consolation prize for the Vikings; Blacklock at No. 25 is a very solid combination of value and need. He has the athletic gifts and football IQ to be an upgrade over Shamar Stephen at three-technique right away, and the upside to be a dominant interior pass-rusher before long. The Draft Network's Joe Marino lists six-time Pro Bowler Gerald McCoy as Blacklock's player comparison.
2/17 mock: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
Round 2, Pick 58: Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
Part of the justification for taking a defensive lineman in the first round is that this cornerback class is very deep through the first two days, so there's no need to reach for one. With Arnette, the Vikings get a borderline first-round talent towards the end of the second round. He's a physical, fluid corner who shines in press-man coverage and can make plays on the ball at the catch point. A redshirt senior, Arnette's path to becoming an NFL starter could be shorter than some of the corners taken ahead of him. Length is the only real concern – Arnette stands 6-foot-0 with 30-inch arms – but he has the athleticism and technical ability to make that not much of a concern.
2/17 mock: AJ Terrell, CB, Clemson
Round 3, Pick 89: Saahdiq Charles, OT, LSU
If the Vikings don't take an offensive lineman among their first three picks, there might be riots in the streets of Minneapolis. Here, I went with a big offensive tackle (6-foot-4, 321 pounds) who has a ton of athletic upside, provided he gets stronger and is coached up on pass-protection technique. The most appealing thing about Charles is his movement; he gets to the second level effectively as a run-blocker and ran an impressive 5.05-second 40 at the combine. If he can improve his anchoring ability, Charles could thrive in the Vikings' zone-blocking scheme. He'll need a year or two of development before potentially becoming a starter, but the Vikings could try to restructure Riley Reiff's contract to keep him around for a little longer, or sign a stopgap free agent like Jason Peters.
2/17 mock: Van Jefferson, WR, Florida
Round 3, Pick 105: K'Von Wallace, S, Clemson
It's difficult to overstate the impact of the Vikings getting a third-round compensatory pick for Sheldon Richardson instead of a fourth, as was projected. Having another Day 2 pick gives Rick Spielman more ammo to maneuver throughout the draft as he pleases. In this no-trade exercise, we go back to the secondary to find a potential long-term replacement for Anthony Harris. Wallace shined in the agility and explosion drills at the combine and would be a good schematic fit for the Vikings with his intelligence on the back end. He may not be ready to start right away, but he's a prospect with plenty of upside down the road.
2/17 mock: N/A (comp picks had yet to be announced)
Round 4, Pick 132: Ben Bredeson, G, Michigan
I considered going with a local favorite in Minnesota wide receiver Tyler Johnson, but the quality of interior offensive linemen begins to drop off significantly if you wait until the sixth round. So I snatched up Bredeson, who started nearly 50 games at left guard in his Michigan career. He's a tough, powerful guard who also has the requisite athleticism and lateral mobility to play in the Vikings' scheme.
2/17 mock: Davon Hamilton, IDL, Ohio State
Round 6, Pick 205: Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado
At this point, late on day three, teams are looking for diamonds in the rough. Taylor's incredible athletic ability gives him the potential to turn into something. He finished third among linebackers at the combine with a 4.49 40 and his broad jump was fourth-best. Taylor then improved on that 40 time at Colorado's Pro Day. If the Vikings don't want to re-sign restricted free agent Eric Wilson, Taylor could be a solid replacement.
2/17 mock: Lavert Hill, Nickel CB, Michigan
Round 7, Pick 219: Reggie Robinson II, CB, Tulsa
The Vikings double dip at corner here with another player whose athletic profile will appeal to teams late in the draft. Robinson ran a 4.44 40 at the combine, did well in the broad jump, and was tied for first among corners with 22 bench press reps. He's got the size and athleticism; could Mike Zimmer and Daronte Jones turn Robinson into an NFL-caliber corner?
2/17 mock: Geno Stone, S, Iowa
Round 7, Pick 239: Jalen Elliott, S, Notre Dame
Our fourth defensive back taken is Elliott, whose less-than-stellar combine performance will likely cause him to fall. Elliott is an experienced safety with good instincts and hard-hitting ability as a tackler.
2/17 mock: Gage Cervenka, IOL, Clemson
Round 7, Pick 249: Joe Reed, WR, Virginia
This may seem like a very long wait for the Vikings to finally take a receiver, and I get that. They could certainly take one a lot earlier. But don't forget that the Vikings have Chad Beebe coming back from injury, while Bisi Johnson showed some legitimate WR3 potential as a rookie. In Reed, the Vikings get another young developmental wideout. But maybe more importantly, they get a dynamic return weapon, as Reed had five kickoff returns for touchdowns in college.
2/17 mock: N/A
Round 7, Pick 253: Cole McDonald, QB, Hawaii
McDonald is one of the five late-round developmental QBs I wrote about a couple weeks ago. He's got 4.58 speed and a gunslinger mentality, but has a long way to go in terms of learning how to read defenses.
2/17 mock: N/A
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