Vikings Mock Draft 04.26.17

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

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

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

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

Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports

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

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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

Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images

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

Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports

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

Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

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

Photo by Andrew Weber/Getty Images

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

Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

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

Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images

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!