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ESPN's Todd McShay has released Version 3.0 of his 2014 NFL Mock Draft. In this mock, he has the Minnesota Vikings taking a guy that hadn't been linked to the team much prior to the Scouting Combine, as we saw in the latest installment of our Mock Draft Database.
McShay has tabbed the Vikings as taking Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert with the #8 overall pick in his latest mock. The article is behind the ESPN paywall, so I can't give you everything. . .but I can give you what he said about this selection.
If I were to rank the two or three likeliest teams to trade out of their first-round pick, the Vikings would be right in the mix. I could see them trying to aggressively move up if one of the top QBs (say, Johnny Manziel) dropped to No. 5, and I could see them moving back if there isn't a QB available at No. 8 in an attempt to grab more picks and take a lower-rated quarterback like Jimmy Garoppolo later. But if they stay put, I think the Vikings take the best player available, either offensive tackle Jake Matthews or cornerback Justin Gilbert out of Oklahoma State. I'll go with Gilbert, the top corner prospect on our board who has excellent speed, size and playmaking ability.
First of all, if the Vikings take Jake Matthews in the first round of this year's draft, I'll eat my hat, your hat, and at least one other hat of your choosing. There aren't a lot of positions the Vikings are completely set at, but offensive tackle would appear to be one of them.
In McShay's mock, the "Big 3" quarterbacks (Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles, and Johnny Manziel) are all off the board within the first four picks. Receiver Sammy Watkins, linebacker Khalil Mack, and offensive tackle Greg Robinson are gone as well. He doesn't have Derek Carr going in the first round, so he might think that's a possibility for the Vikings at #40, provided that Carr drops that far. Given the way that McShay's scenario falls, it's hard to argue against Gilbert at this spot right now. I do like that he thinks the Vikings are pretty likely to move out of #8 one way or the other, though.
What do you all think of this pick?