It’s been a couple of weeks since we brought you an update to our Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Database for this year, as we wanted to let the mock draft world catch up with the fact that our favorite football team now has two selections in the first round of this year’s draft instead of just one. To say that things have changed significantly would be a vast understatement.
We’re now up to a total of 80 mock drafts in our Database for this week, and it was everything I could do to find 80 mocks that actually had the picks listed accurately. But, eventually it got done, so here are all of the mocks that make up our Database for this week.
2020 Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Database, v4.0
Site | Name | Date | Round 1 (22) | Round 1 (25) | Round 2 (58) | Round 3 (89) | Round 3 (105) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Site | Name | Date | Round 1 (22) | Round 1 (25) | Round 2 (58) | Round 3 (89) | Round 3 (105) |
Detroit Free Press | Marlowe Alter | 28 Mar | Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | |||
WEEI | Chris Scheim | 28 Mar | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
CBS Sports | Josh Edwards | 27 Mar | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Michael Pittman Jr, WR. Southern Cal | Solomon Kindley, G, Georgia | Amik Robinson, CB, Louisiana Tech |
Denver Post | Ryan O'Halloran | 27 Mar | Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | |||
DraftTek | Staff | 27 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Grant Delpit, S, Louisiana State | K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State | Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama | Jonah Jackson, G, Ohio State |
EDS Football | Brendan Donahue | 27 Mar | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | |||
NBC Sports Boston | Phil Perry | 27 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
NFL Draft Addicts | Matt Fallon | 27 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | Lucas Niang, OT, Texas Christian | Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA | Rashard Lawrence, DT, Louisiana State |
CBS Sports | Pete Prisco | 26 Mar | K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, Louisiana State | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
Detroit News | Justin Rogers | 26 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
Heavy | Vinna Somma | 26 Mar | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | |||
My NFL Draft | Staff | 26 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | |||
NFL Draft Diamonds | Damond Talbot | 26 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama | |||
NFL.com | Chad Reuter | 26 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Reggie Robinson II, CB, Tulsa | Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne | Jonah Jackson, G, Ohio State |
NJ.com | Mike Kaye | 26 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma | Austin Jackson, OT, Southern Cal | ||
Pro Football Network | Staff | 26 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
Washington Post | John Clayton | 26 Mar | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | |||
Yahoo! Sports | Eric Edholm | 26 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
Bleacher Report | Kristopher Knox | 25 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
CBS Sports | Chris Trapasso | 25 Mar | Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | |||
Draft Site | D.J. Boyer | 25 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | |||
Maize n Brew | Anthony Broome | 25 Mar | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | Zack Baun, DE, Wisconsin | Robert Hunt, G, Louisiana | Alohi Gilman, S, Notre Dame | Bryant Edwards, WR, South Carolina |
NBC Sports DC | Tyler Roman | 25 Mar | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | |||
Pro Football Focus | Mike Renner | 25 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | |||
San Diego Union-Tribune | Eddie Brown | 25 Mar | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama | Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee | Matthew Peart, OT, Connecticut |
The Ringer | Danny Kelly | 25 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
The Sports Hub | Alex Barth | 25 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Lucas Niang, OT, Texas Christian | |||
Touchdown Wire | Doug Farrar | 25 Mar | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | |||
Athlon Sports | Bryan Fischer | 24 Mar | Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State | Xavier McKinney, S, Alabama | |||
E$PN | Mel Kiper | 24 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
Houston Chronicle | Aaron Wilson | 24 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | |||
Houston Chronicle | John McClain | 24 Mar | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
NFL Draft Geek | Brian Johannes | 24 Mar | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | |||
NFL Rough Draft | Staff | 24 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | |||
NFL.com | Charley Casserly | 24 Mar | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
South Florida Sun-Sentinel | Omar Kelly | 24 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State | |||
The Game Haus | Joe Ditullio | 24 Mar | Cesar Ruiz, G, Michigan | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
The Phinsider | Justin Hier | 24 Mar | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | |||
Walter Football | Walter Cherepinsky | 24 Mar | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | Cameron Dantzler, CB, Mississippi State | Antonio Gandy-Golden, WR, Liberty | Lucas Niang, OT, Texas Christian |
Aftermath Sports | Chris McGlynn | 23 Mar | Henry Ruggs III, WR, Alabama | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | |||
Alpha Football | Staff | 23 Mar | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
Baltimore Sun | C.J. Doon | 23 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Amik Robertson, CB, Louisiana Tech | ||
CBS Sports | R.J. White | 23 Mar | Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | |||
CBS Sports | Ryan Wilson | 23 Mar | Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | |||
NJ.com | Joe Giglio | 23 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | |||
Rotoworld | Josh Norris | 23 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Austin Jackson, OT, Southern Cal | |||
SB Nation | Dan Kadar | 23 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Patrick Queen, LB, Louisiana State | |||
Walter Football | Charlie Campbell | 23 Mar | Austin Jackson, OT, Southern Cal | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri | Lynn Bowden, WR, Kentucky | Jabari Zuniga, LB, Florida |
Yardbarker | Seth Trachtman | 23 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Julian Okwara, DE, Notre Dame | ||
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | D. Orlando Ledbetter | 22 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | Patrick Queen, LB, Louisiana State | |||
Bleacher Report | Maurice Moton | 22 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
Loaded Box Podcast | Ben Morgan | 22 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
NBC Sports Bay Area | Johnson/Schrock | 22 Mar | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | Austin Jackson, OT, Southern Cal | |||
Pro Football Network | Neal Driscoll | 22 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | Prince Tega Wanogho, OT, Auburn | Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas | James Lynch, DE, Baylor |
The Draft Network | Jordan Reid | 22 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn | Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma | Ben Bartch, OT, St. John's (MN) | Jabari Zuniga, LB, Florida |
Blogging the Boys | David Howman | 21 Mar | Jeff Gladney, CB, Texas Christian | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | Justin Madubuike, DT, Texas A&M | Matthew Peart, OT, Connecticut | Tyler Biadasz, G, Wisconsin |
Draft Wire | Luke Easterling | 21 Mar | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | |||
Last Word on Pro Football | David Latham | 21 Mar | Laviska Shenault Jr, WR, Colorado | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
New York Post | Steve Serby | 21 Mar | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
Tankathon | Staff | 21 Mar | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Isaiah Wilson, OT, Georgia | Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame | Not mocked |
The Athlete's Hub | Tyler McDonald | 21 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa | |||
CBS Sports | Will Brinson | 20 Mar | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
Draft Rite | John Vogel | 20 Mar | Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
DraftBlaster | Draft Geek | 20 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina | |||
Newsday | Nick Klopsis | 20 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
NFL Draft Blitz | Alex Khvatov | 20 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
NFL.com | Lance Zierlein | 20 Mar | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | |||
Ralphie Report | Sam Metivier | 20 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | Marlon Davidson, DE, Auburn | Khalid Kareem, DE, Notre Dame | Calvin Throckmorton, OT, Oregon |
Sports Illustrated | Corey Parson | 20 Mar | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
Sports Illustrated | Kevin Hanson | 20 Mar | Patrick Queen, LB, Louisiana State | Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama | Jordan Elliott, DT, Missouri | Van Jefferson, WR, Florida | Logan Stenberg, G, Kentucky |
Bleacher Report | Alex Ballentine | 19 Mar | C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida | Austin Jackson, OT, Southern Cal | |||
Fox Sports | Jason McIntyre | 19 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State | |||
Radio.com | Tim Kelly | 19 Mar | C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida | Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State | |||
Sporting News | Vinnie Iyer | 19 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | |||
USA Today | Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz | 19 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | |||
Bleacher Report | Zach Buckley | 18 Mar | Kristian Fulton, CB, Louisiana State | Jalen Reagor, WR, Texas Christian | |||
NFL Draft Geek | J.T. Olson | 18 Mar | Ross Blacklock, DT, Texas Christian | Josh Jones, OT, Houston | |||
Bleacher Report | David Kenyon | 17 Mar | Justin Jefferson, WR, Louisiana State | Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma | |||
CBS Sports | Tom Fornelli | 17 Mar | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma | Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah | Terrell Burgess, S, Utah | James Lynch, DE, Baylor |
The Pitt News | Adin Link | 17 Mar | Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson | A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson | Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State |
That’s a whole lot of mock drafts. Usually I can just take the list from the previous week and tweak a few things here and there, but this week it was basically starting over from scratch. A lot of the familiar folks are there, and we’ve added plenty of new drafts as well because. . .well, they had their stuff updated in a more expedient manner than some of the other sources.
So, let’s break this down, shall we?
Defensive Backs - 56/160 selections (35%, down from 71.7% two weeks ago)
- Kristian Fulton, Louisiana State - 16 selections (10%, down from 15%)
- A.J. Terrell, Clemson - 9 selections (5.63%, down from 8.33%)
- Jaylon Johnson, Utah - 8 selections (5%, up from 3.33%)
- Trevon Diggs, Alabama - 7 selections (4.38%, down from 15%)
- Jeff Gladney, Texas Christian - 6 selections (3.75%, down from 8.33%)
- Noah Igbinoghene, Auburn - 3 selections (1.88%, up from 1.67%)
- Xavier McKinney, Alabama - 3 selections (1.88%, up from 1.67%)
- C.J. Henderson, Florida - 2 selections (1.25%, down from 6.67%)
- Cameron Dantzler, Mississippi State - 1 selection (0.63%, down from 5%)
- Grant Delpit, Louisiana State - 1 selection (0.63%, down from 1.67%)
The defensive backs still lead things overall as far as percentage of selections, but the gap has closed a lot since the last time we did this. Fulton is the only player in our entire Database to hit double digits as far as percentage goes this week, and he just squeaked over the line at 10%. None of the mock drafts in our Database this week have the Vikings doubling up on defensive backs in the first round, which means that a full 70% of the mocks we have available this week think the Vikings will be spending at least one of their two first rounders on the defensive secondary.
No longer listed in our Database for this week are Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall and. . .sadly. . .Minnesota safety Antoine Winfield Jr, as neither of them received any selections this week.
Wide Receivers - 50/150 selections (33.3%, up from 1.67% two weeks ago)
- Tee Higgins, Clemson - 13 selections (8.13%, NEW this week)
- Jalen Reagor, Texas Christian - 10 selections (6.25%, up from 1.67%)
- Denzel Mims, Baylor - 9 selections (5.63%, NEW this week)
- Justin Jefferson, Louisiana State - 8 selections (5%, NEW this week)
- Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado - 7 selections (4.38%, NEW this week)
- Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State - 2 selections (1.25%, NEW this week)
- Henry Ruggs III, Alabama - 1 selection (0.63%, NEW this week)
Hey, remember when I speculated that the wide receiver position was probably going to disappear from the Database entirely at some point? Yeah. . .not so much anymore, no. With the trade of Stefon Diggs, the Vikings are obviously going to be in the market for a replacement at some point for him, but with as deep as this wide receiver class is we’ll have to see if it happens in the first round.
Defensive Line - 39/160 selections (24.38%, up from 16.67% two weeks ago)
- Yetur Gross-Matos, Penn State - 15 selections (9.38%, up from 1.67%)
- A.J. Epenesa, Iowa - 10 selections (6.25%, up from 1.67%)
- Ross Blacklock, Texas Christian - 6 selections (3.75%, down from 6.67%)
- Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma - 3 selections (1.88%, down from 3.33%)
- Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina - 3 selections (1.88%, up from 1.67%)
- Zack Baun, Wisconsin - 1 selection (0.63%, NEW this week)
- K’Lavon Chaisson, Louisiana State - 1 selection (0.63%, NEW this week)
Not to be overlooked in the things that have happened to the Vikings since the last time we brought you this Database was the announcement from Everson Griffen that he would not be returning to Minnesota for the 2020 season. That’s given us a surge in the number of defensive linemen, and in particular a couple of edge players in Gross-Matos and Epenesa. Gross-Matos is now the second-most selected player in our Database by the experts, trailing Fulton by just one selection. Epenesa, who at one point during the college season was speculated as a potential Top 10 pick, is suddenly a candidate to fall to the Vikings now as well.
Not appearing in our Database this week is Alabama defensive end Terrell Lewis, who did not receive any selections this time around.
Offensive Line - 12/160 selections (7.5%, down from 10% two weeks ago)
- Josh Jones, Houston - 6 selections (3.75%, up from 3.3%)
- Austin Jackson, Southern Cal - 4 selections (2.5%, down from 3.3%)
- Lucas Niang, Texas Christian - 1 selection (0.63%, NEW this week)
- Cesar Ruiz, Michigan - 1 selection (0.63%, down from 1.67%)
It’s a bit strange to see the offensive line this far down the list of selections for the Vikings, but given the current state of affairs, that’s where we are right now. Of the 12 picks on this list, 11 of them go to the tackle positions, with Ruiz being the lone interior lineman represented.
Linebacker - 3/160 selections (1.88%, up from 0% two weeks ago)
- Patrick Queen, Louisiana State - 3 selections (1.88%, NEW this week)
Given that the Vikings have both Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks in the fold for the foreseeable future, this seems like a bit of a strange pick to me. There’s no doubt that Queen is a solid player, but I wonder how much of this would just be “best player available” rather than filling an actual need. But, he’s officially in the Database for this week.
So there you have it, folks. Overall, there have been 37 different players mocked to go to the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and 29 of them actually appear on the listings for this week.
(37? I’m 37!?)
Let’s pull out the graphics for this week, starting with the donut graph. You may click to embiggen if you feel it necessary to do so.
See all of that green that wasn’t there previously? Yeah, the wide receivers have officially joined the party. For the first time in a couple of years, we may actually have a significant battle to see which position ends up on top of our final installment of our Database for this season.
And now, on to the trends graph for this week, which is also a picture you can embiggen if you wish.
And there it is, folks. . .your (belated) update to our Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Database. We’ll have another update for you next week, hopefully in a slightly more timely fashion. Thank you for your patience and let us know what you think!