Vikings Draft Rumors: FSU DE Mario Edwards a Possibility at 11?

Peruse the internet’s multitude of mock drafts this morning and you won’t see the name Mario Edwards being mentioned very much as a first round possibility.

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But according to league insiders, the mock drafters are way off in their dismissal of Edwards as a potential first round pick. In fact, Jason La Canfora thinks Edwards could go as high as #11 overall.

But wait, aren’t the Vikings picking #11 overall? Yes they are. And according to La Canfora, there’s at least a chance that Edwards could be their pick.

"Certain teams definitely seem to like Edwards more than others, including the Vikings, who pick No. 11 overall. That might be high for Edwards — plenty of mocks have nose tackle Danny Shelton going there — though I wouldn’t rule it out. And if perhaps you see the Vikings trade down out of that spot, definitely keep an eye on Edwards as a target."

The fact that we haven’t heard Edwards’ name connected to the Vikings could be the best proof out there that La Canfora is on to something.

Teams never want to tip their draft hand but that goes double when they’re high on a player who is relatively under-the-radar. The last thing you want is to generate buzz for a player and have that person’s draft value rise.

Edwards’ perceived value will no doubt rise somewhat now that La Canfora has let the cat out of the bag.

The 6-3, 279-pound Edwards is viewed as a run-stopping anchor on the defensive line but not necessarily a big pass rushing threat. Scouts think his talent is greater than his college production might indicate, and wonder if he’ll ever have the motivation to get that production where it should be.

CBSSports.com sees a comparison between Edwards and a current Eagles player:

"COMPARES TO: Vinny Curry, Eagles — Like the 6-3, 280-pound Curry, Edwards offers an intriguing blend of size, agility and instincts which the Seminoles used to feature him inside and out along the defensive line and even occasionally drop into coverage. This versatility could earn Edwards a top 50 selection and gives his NFL team quite a bit of flexibility."

We’ve heard this song before when it comes to defensive line prospects and the Vikings. Versatility versatility versatility.

Edwards would be a nice safe pick in the second or third round but taking him 11 overall would seem a bit of a reach. I don’t need to remind you what happened the last time the Vikings reached for a Florida State player in that general 11-12 area.

At the very least, we now have a true dark horse candidate for the Vikings at 11. That always makes things more entertaining.

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