Favorite players emerge as each draft evaluation process evolves. Through the addicting mock draft simulations, analysis from the Daniel Jeremiahs and Dane Buglers of the draft evaluation world, and my own research, favorites for the 2023 NFL Draft have emerged. I’ve found the prospects that will help propel the Minnesota Vikings to multiple Super Bowl wins. Whether they like or not, I’m doing the work for Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Ryan Grigson, Jamaal Stephenson, Mike Sholiton, Kevin O’Connell, and the rest of the Vikings decision-makers.
The Vikings have only five picks in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Round 1 (23)
Round 3 (87)
Round 4 (119)
Round 5 (158)
Round 6 (211)
Here are some of my favorites for each pick.
Round 1 (23)
Plenty here:
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State
Zay Flowers, WR, Boston College
Bryan Bresee, DT, Clemson
Calijah Kancey, DT, Pittsburgh
Mazi Smith, DT, Michigan
Adetomiwa Adebawore, DL, Northwestern
Drew Sanders, LB, Arkansas
Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Brian Branch, DB, Alabama
Joey Porter Jr., CB, Penn State
Emmanuel Forbes, CB, Mississippi State
14 players. It’s a wide range. Some of the above might be better selected after a modest trade-down. Partly because the Vikings have only five picks but mostly because Adofo-Mensah has quickly shown a great willingness to move around a draft, I wouldn’t be surprised if he trades back to add more picks. From the latter quarter of the first and into the second round, there are a lot of players that can immediately help. Especially on defense. If the Vikings stay at #23, I think that there’s a great chance that the pick is quarterback Hendon Hooker. I don’t think that he makes out of the first round. He definitely won’t be available at #87. If the Vikings decision-makers see Hooker as a potential franchise quarterback, he’s the pick at #23. If the Vikings think that they can still get him with a trade back, even a modest trade-down, I think that they are wrong.
Round 3 (87)
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Mississippi
A.T. Perry, WR, Wake Forest
Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Michael Wilson, WR, Stanford
Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green
Zachh Pickens, DT, South Carolina
Kobie Turner, DT, Wake Forest
Dorian Williams, LB, Tulane
DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Texas
Darius Rush, CB, South Carolina
Garrett Williams, CB, Syracuse
Round 4 (119)
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia
Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Virginia
Puka Nacua, WR, BYU
Olusegun Oluwatimi, C, Michigan
Andrew Vorhees, G, USC
Chandler Zavala, G, North Carolina State
Jerrod Clark, DT, Coastal Carolina
Ivan Pace, LB, Cincinnati
Cam Jones, LB, Indiana
Kyu Blu Kelly, CB, Stanford
If the Vikings do not select Hendon Hooker in the first round, Dorian Thompson-Robinson shoots to the top of my quarterback wish list.
Round 5 (158)
Anthony Bradford, G, LSU
Antoni Mofi, G, UCLA
Mohamoud Diabate, LB, Utah
Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
Round 6 (211)
Jaren Hall, QB, BYU
Marte Mapu, S/LB, Sacramento State
Christopher Dunn, K, North Carolina State
Jake Moody, K, Michigan
Chad Ryland, K, Maryland
If I were to pull from each group of favorites, my favorite Minnesota Vikings mock draft might look something like this:
Round 1 (23)
Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee
Round 3 (87)
Karl Brooks, DL, Bowling Green
Round 4 (119)
Bryce Ford-Wheaton, WR, West Virginia
Round 5 (158)
Starling Thomas V, CB, UAB
Round 6 (211)
Marte Mapu, LB/S, Sacramento State
Or, a no-Hooker draft:
Round 1 (23)
Deonte Banks, CB, Maryland
Round 3 (87)
Jonathan Mingo, WR, Mississippi
Round 4 (119)
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA
Round 5 (158)
Anthony Bradford, G, LSU
Round 6 (211)
Marte Mapu, LB/S, Sacramento State
The difference between the two drafts is probably determined by how one feels about the respective quarterbacks.
No comments:
Post a Comment