We are just days away from the NFL Draft kicking off on a man-made island platform in the heart of Las Vegas.
The Vikings are in a unique position to project out. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Kevin O’Connell are each in their first year at their respective positions, and the only data we can go off of is that of their superiors. How they will build the team moving forward has been a fascinating talking point.
The only real data point I’m going off of is this: Adofo-Mensah will maximize the market. Coming from Wall Street and having spent the last eight years in the NFL, he has a good understanding of what the market will look like, and he will find ways to maximize and manipulate it.
This mock, however, won’t be done from the lens of what Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell might do. It’s coming from my perspective. How would I maximize the board and the Vikings draft class.
I used The Draft Network’s mock draft simulator for this exercise and believe this would go a long way in fixing the Vikings.
Round 1, Pick No. 23: Michigan S Daxton Hill
Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports
Trade: The Arizona Cardinals send picks 23 and 55 to the Minnesota Vikings for pick 12
When I looked at the board, this was a worst-case scenario. Kyle Hamilton and Kayvon Thibodeaux didn’t fall, and both corners were off the board. The best player available was Jermaine Johnson. As much as I love Johnson as a prospect and a fit for the Vikings, he wasn’t a player I loved more than adding another day two pick.
The other unfortunate element of the trade back is Chris Olave went at No. 19 to the Saints, who also ended up nabbing Charles Cross for a tremendous haul. The Vikings have an advantageous board for another trade down, but with four picks now in the top 77, I decided to make a pick. Here is who is still on the board.
-Pitt QB Kenny Pickett
-Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder
-Purdue EDGE George Karlaftis
-Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
The way things fell, I chose not…
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