1st
3rd
3rd (from Ravens)
4th
4th (from Bears)
4th (from Bills)
5th
5th (from Ravens)
5th (from Steelers)
6th
7th
11 picks. That won’t be all. The Vikings will have some Compensatory Draft Picks coming their way. The fine folks at Over the Cap do a terrific job of tracking and projecting those extra picks. Here are their projections for the Vikings based on last year’s free agency losses and gains.
4th (for Trae Waynes)
6th (for Mackensie Alexander)
7th (for Andrew Sendejo)
7th (for Jayron Kearse)
If those projections are accurate, the Vikings will be entering the 2021 NFL Draft with the following picks.
1st
3rd
3rd (from Ravens)
4th
4th (from Bears)
4th (from Bills)
4th (comp pick)
5th
5th (from Ravens)
5th (from Steelers)
6th
6th (comp pick)
7th
7th (comp pick)
7th (comp pick)
The Vikings made a record 15 selections in the 2020 NFL Draft. If the compensatory picks follow the current projections, they are currently scheduled to match that record number of picks. It’s a safe bet that Rick Spielman will do some dealing during the draft. He often trades to add picks. With 15 to start, there’s really no reason to add picks. I’m guessing that he trades to move up in this draft. The Vikings currently have a second round hole. They have that second round hole due to the August trade for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. Some question that trade seeing as they traded him to the Baltimore Ravens a couple months later. I’m convinced that the Vikings acquired Ngakoue to pair with Danielle Hunter as a dynamite pass rushing duo. I’m convinced that, at the time of the trade, the Vikings believed that Hunter would return from that neck “tweak.” Trading for Ngakoue for a second-round pick+ in August only to trade him for a third-round pick+ in October makes no sense unless something changed during those two months. The only thing that changed was the realization that Hunter’s injury was serious. What started as a “tweak” turned out to be much more. Anyway, none of that really matters now. What does matter is that the Vikings are lacking a second round pick. Spielman will not want to sit out the second round of the draft. They have too many holes to fill. It’s best to fill those holes with high-end talent. They have the ammunition to trade into the second round. I’m convinced that Spielman will do so.
The playoff elimination is so fresh and it’s too early in the process to properly assess draft needs. The top needs are easy. Anyone that watched that game on Christmas in New Orleans can’t come away not thinking that the offensive and defensive lines have to get better. Offensive line is an annual need. Here’s a too early assessment of the Vikings’ offseason priorities.
Offensive line
-guards in particular, especially if Ezra Cleveland moves to tackle
-tackle, if Cleveland stays at one of the guard spots
I’m hoping that some combination of Brian O’Neill and Cleveland are the tackles.
It might be too optimistic but maybe the Vikings have something in late-round, small-school linemen Oli Udoh and Kyle Hinton. The Vikings protected Hinton from being plucked from the practice squad last week and they’ve carried Udoh on the active roster (despite rarely being active on game day) for two years. The team’s decision-makers clearly see something in both players but they can’t bank on both late-round picks becoming front-line players.
The offensive line has to get better.
Defensive line
-three technique in particular
-Hunter’s return will help tremendously but the pass rush has to improve
Safety
-it would be a miracle if the Vikings can afford to re-sign Anthony Harris
Receiver
-Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson are a top notch duo
-despite having a top notch duo the Vikings could/should look to improve the receiver depth
-it hurts to consider this but it might be time to look for an eventual replacement for Thielen
It’s early but Vikings draft thoughts have begun.
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