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The NFL draft is tomorrow and while the Vikings are not likely to make a selection you never know what could happen. Something could fall out of the sky!
The Vikings still have about 10.611 mil cap space after accommodating for the top 51 plus rookie pool.
http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/minnesota-vikings/cap/
Adam Schefter is reporting that the Vikings are not likely to pick up Teddy Bridgewater's 5th year option. File this under DUH!
They need to go ahead and extend Sam Bradford which will provide them leverage if they try to trade him. IMO.
Heading into the draft the Vikings now have the #48, 79, 86, 121, 129, 160, 199, & 232 picks and Rick wants to get at least 10 picks plus he is apparently going to be aggressive trying to sign UDFAs. I was unaware that they had not been particularly aggressive in the past but in review it seems they did not get players many of us wanted. As if we know anything right? Still, it is interesting.
In this mock I am not using fanspeak. I am going to use the FORCE!
I am going to use Arif's excellent consensus big board (found here) as a guide. He puts in a ton of work and does a fabulous job!
I am not predicting a trade up (SADLY) in this final mock.
So here we go!
At pick #48 the players I like and might be available or have a good chance are ...
Marcus Williams S
Jordan Willis DE
Josh Jones S
Curtis Samuel WR
Joe Mixon RB
Alvin Kamara RB
Dan Feeney OG
Feeney has had more than a couple of concussions which puts him on the medical risk category for me. He is the obvious pick for most fans. Josh Jones, Alvin Kamara, and Curtis Samuel were all brought in for a visit or met with the Vikings. Joe Mixon also looked to have at least talked to the Vikings at his pro day.
Considering what to do requires a look at the depth chart and the contracts. I think at defensive end the situation could get dicey real fast and with one injury. I really like Jordan Willis too. Robison could be in the last year of his deal even though he restructured for two years. Griffen turns 30 in December and 2018 will be his last year of his deal. Hunter is the young stud. Weatherly is in development. Datone Jones may play some end and tackle depending on how he does at DT.
At safety, Sendejo's deal goes up next year and the year after. He is an average player IMO. He really is not a guy you want protecting the deep parts of the field. I think he is more of an in the box safety who can come up and hit people (sometimes his own people). Then, you have Kearse, Harris, and Exum in various stages of development. They might one day become average starters as well.
At running back the Vikings could draft a player to plan for the future. They have Murray, McKinnon, Sankey, and Ham. McKinnon is a free agent after next season and Murray could be cut after the 2017 season and the dead money cap hit would only be 1.2 mil. Any rookie might not get much playing time this year but could be a good investment. I think they can wait a little bit on a running back and I do not believe they have the stones to draft Mixon who is the only player I would take here.
This leaves Curtis Samuel. He is a player that many scouts do not know what position he may ultimately play. But he is a threat every time he touches the ball and can handle return duties immediately. Looking at the WR depth chart and the things the Vikings tried to do in free agency, I think a receiver is higher on the list than most are willing to believe. Wright is probably in his last year and might not even make the team (would be good to trade him for a 7th). Diggs might end up missing a couple of games as he gets dinged up every year so far. Thielen is solid. And then we have the rest which includes the major disappointment drafted last year who may or may not catch more than 1 pass next year. I expect he will but I do not have a lot of faith.
Hashing it out brings me down to Jordan Willis, Curtis Samuel, and Marcus Williams or Josh Jones. Can the Vikings find another safety or edge player later? Can they find a player as dynamic as Samuel later?
Before making the pick a small trade down is made ...
The Vikings trade pick #48 (420 pts) to the Cleveland Browns for pick #52 (380 pts) and pick #145 (43 points).
With the 52nd pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Curtis Samuel WR/KR/PR Ohio State
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At pick #79 the players I like are ...
Ethan Pocic C LSU
D'onta Foreman RB Texas
Davlin Tomlinson DT Alabama
Gerald Everett TE South Alabama
Jaleel Johnson DT Iowa
Montravius Adams DT Auburn
Jordan Lewis CB Michigan
Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Kareem Hunt RB Toledo
Samaje Perine RB Oklahoma
Duke Riley LB LSU
In this scenario I expect Pocic will be gone a few picks before the Vikings select. A trade up to get him is probably what it would take. I think Elflein is gone too. One of the running backs seem like a good pick too. A DT make sense as well. In this deep corner class and with Newman being 39 years old, grabbing one early makes a ton of sense to me. The Vikings visited with Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, Jaleel Johnson, and Duke Riley. But the Vikings also tried to sign Jared Cook in free agency which leads me to believe they want one this year.
Before making the pick another small trade down is made ...
The Vikings trade pick #79 (195 pts) to the Tennesse Titans for pick #83 (175 pts) and pick #214 (15.4 points).
With the 83rd pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Gerald Everett TE South Alabama
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At pick #86 the players I like are ...
Jaleel Johnson DT Iowa
Montravius Adams DT Auburn
Jordan Lewis CB Michigan
Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Kareem Hunt RB Toledo
Samaje Perine RB Oklahoma
Duke Riley LB LSU
Demarcus Walker DE FSU
Brad Kaaya QB Miami
Nathan Peterman QB Pittsburgh
With the 86th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Samaje Perine RB Oklahoma
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At pick #120 the players I like are ...
Nico Siragusa OG San Diego State
Eddie Vanderdoes DT UCLA
Elijah Qualls DT Washington
Anthony Walker LB Northwestern
Trey Hendrickson DE Florida Atlantic
Damontae Kazae CB San Diego State
With the 120th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Damontae Kazee CB San Diego State
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At pick #128 the players I like are ...
Nazair Jones DT North Carolina
Will Holden OT/OG Vanderbilt
KD Cannon WR Baylor
Jeremy McNichols RB Boise State
James Connor RB Pittsburgh
Adam Bisnowaty OT Pittsburgh
Danny Isodora OG Miami
Davon Godchaux DT LSU
With the 128th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Davon Godchaux DT LSU
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At pick #145 the players I like are ...
Tyler Orlosky C West Virginia
Shelton Gibson WR West Virginia
Josh Malone WR Tennesee
Carroll Phillips DE Illinois
Zach Banner OT USC
Shaquill Griffin CB UCF
Julie'n Davenport OT Bucknell
Jonnu Smith TE Florida International
With the 145th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Julie'n Davenport OT Bucknell
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At pick #160 the players I like are ...
Mack Hollins WR North Carolina
Connor McDermott OT UCLA
Jarron Jones DT Notre Dame
Delano Hill S Michigan
Jordan Morgan OG Kutztown
Elijah Lee LB Kansas State
Tanzel Smart DT Tulane
With the 160th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Elijah Lee LB Kansas State
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At pick #199 the players I like are ...
Damien Mama OG USC
Kenny Golladay WR Northern Illinois
Brendan Langley CB Lamar (TX)
Jerod Evans QB Virginia Tech
Joe Williams RB Utah
Stevie Tu'ikolovatu DT USC
With the 199th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Kenny Golladay WR Northern Illinois
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At pick #214 the players I like are ...
Erik Magnuson OG Michigan
Rudy Ford S Auburn
Jayon Brown LB UCLA
Avery Moss DE Youngstown State
JJ Dielman C Utah
Nate Hairston CB Temple
With the 214th pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Jayon Brown LB UCLA
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At pick #232 the players I like are ...
Robert Davis WR Georgia State
Sean Harlow OG Oregon State
Chad Williams WR Grambling State
Chad Kelly QB Mississippi
Aviante Collins OG TCU
Kyle Kalis OG Michigan
Chase Roullier C Michigan
With the 232nd pick in the NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select ...
Chad Kelly QB Mississippi
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An alternate mock with the same trades ...
52. Josh Jones S North Carolina
83. Demarcus Walker DE FSU
86. Antonio Garcia OT Troy
120. Brad Kaaya QB Miami
128. Elijah Qualls DT Washington
145. Wayne Gallman RB Clemson
160. Stacy Coley WR Miami
199. Elijah Lee LB Kansas State
214. Aviante Collins OG TCU
232. Chad Kelly QB Mississippi
I predict I get none of these right!