Vikings Mock Draft Roundup

I remember the days when there were only a handful of mock drafts. None was accessible on the internet because there was no internet. You had to wait for a magazine or a newspaper. Now, everyone that has even a passing interest in the NFL Draft does their own mock draft. The damn things are everywhere. The Minnesota Vikings' performance in the 2019 season earned them the 25th pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The sad trade of Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills brought them the 22nd pick in the first round. The Vikings are now set with the 22nd and 25th picks in the first round. The following is a roundup of the mock draft projections for the Vikings from some of the more prominent mockers. A few of them have yet to update their mocks to include the Vikings' possession of the 22nd pick. I've still included them because they are among my favorite draft analysts.

NFL.com

Daniel Jeremiah
22. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Bucky Brooks
22. Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Charles Davis
22. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Lance Zierlein
22. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
25. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Cynthia Frelund
22. Tee Higgins, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Chad Reuter
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

Charley Casserly
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

ESPN

Todd McShay
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Mel Kiper Jr.
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa

CBS Sports

Will Brinson
22. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Chris Trapasso
22. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
25. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor

Ryan Wilson
22. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
25. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

Pete Prisco
22. K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Sports Illustrated

Kevin Hanson
22. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
25. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama

Corey Parson
22. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Sporting News

Vinny Iyer
22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

USA Today

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Pro Football Focus

Mike Renner
22. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
25. Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah

The Draft Network

Jordan Reid
22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn

Washington Post

John Clayton
22. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
25. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

Houston Chronicle

John McClain
22. Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

Aaron Wilson
22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Yahoo Sports

Eric Edholm
22. Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
25. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State

***

There are so many combinations that it's tough to pick a favorite. If I was forced to do so, I think that I'd lean toward two projections that have the Vikings selecting a pair of teammates.

22. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
25. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU

or

22. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
25. A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson

Each is among my favorites at their respective positions and the Vikings need cornerbacks and receivers. I'd be thrilled if the Vikings came out of the real first round with any of the following corners.

Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU

As for the receivers, Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins are currently the only receivers that I like in the first round. Unless, of course, one or more of Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs III somehow drop to 22. If the Vikings fall for one of those three, they'll have to move up from 22 to select him. I'm presently not sold on Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, and Laviska Shenault Jr. At least I'm not sold on them in the first round. That might change in the coming weeks but, right now, I prefer Michael Pittman Jr. in the second over a receiver not named Justin Jefferson or Tee Higgins in the first.

The Vikings also need to improve the offensive line. It's a surprise that none of the above guesses includes an offensive lineman. At the start of the mock draft season at least half of them had the Vikings selecting an offensive lineman.

All but two of the above projections includes a play that plays receiver, cornerback, or on the defensive line. The two outliers are:

Bucky Brooks
22. Grant Delpit, S, LSU

Kevin Hanson
22. Patrick Queen, LB, LSU

It's rare to see such mock drafting consistency. Especially for a team that has two first round picks.