The Minnesota Vikings have a major need at wide receiver and could fill the need by picking up one of these five players in the draft.
The Vikings are thin at the wide receiver position after letting Mike Wallace and his poor attitude walk in free agency. How do the Vikings address their glaring hole at wide receiver?
Unfortunately, free agency doesn’t appear to be a viable option for Minnesota as they cast about for help at receiver. The Vikings were reportedly interested in Andre Holmes but he has elected to return to the Raiders. Rumor has the Vikings possibly looking at Rueben Randle but he would be little more than a band-aid at this point.
The reality is that there is nothing available in free agency that can help the Vikings, so they will have to address their need in the draft. There are a few interesting receivers who figure to be available to the Vikings with the #23 overall pick.
What sort of receiver are the Vikings looking for? Folks will throw out that “true #1” term but to me that doesn’t really mean a whole lot. Mostly, the Vikings need a big, strong receiver with good hands, separation skills and the ability to make contested catches. Pure speed is probably not the main trait Minnesota is looking at.
With all that in mind, let’s run down some possible options for the Vikings at receiver.
1. Josh Doctson (6-2, 202)
Indications are that the Vikings have zeroed in on Josh Doctson as their number one target in the draft. Doctson has good size at 6-2, 202 and his combine performance showed that he possesses plenty of athleticism. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com praises Doctson for his ball skills and hands but wonders if he has the toughness to go over the middle. If you’re a Pro Football Focus fan, you’ll be interested to note that PFF gave Doctson the top receiving grade of all the wide-outs in college football last year.
NFL Mocks likes Doctson’s talent but wonders if he’s fast enough to be a true #1. NFL Draft Geek notes that Doctson ran a limited route tree in college. USA Today says Doctson is not explosive and has trouble beating press coverage. Via USA Today:
"Doctson is the kind of receiver who excels at contested catches to the point where the endless stream of highlight reel grabs can easily make you forget about the aspects of the position he hasn’t mastered yet. While understandable, Doctson’s all-around game hasn’t reached the jaw-dropping status of many of his receptions at TCU."
More than a straight-line speed receiver, the Vikings need a player like Doctson who can out-leap/out-fight cornerbacks and bring down the ball. It’s legitimate to be concerned about Doctson’s lack of experience at running a wide variety of routes.
2. Laquon Treadwell (6-2, 229)
The 6-2, 229-pound Treadwell has drawn comparisons to Dez Bryant from knowledgeable people like CBSSports.com’s Dane Brugler. However, PFF’s Sam Monson argues that though Treadwell does have some traits in common with Bryant, a better comparison would be Kenny Britt. Via PFF:
"There is a lot to like about Treadwell, but he does struggle to separate, even in college. He has the movement skills of a big receiver, but at his size he’s not large enough that it should be preventing him getting open regularly. Often getting separation looks like a struggle and there are too many plays where he doesn’t just struggle to separate, but actively fails in his route to the defensive back."
NFL Mocks likes Treadwell’s size and skill-set but says he must get better at running routes. USA Today likes Treadwell’s physicality and nastiness, and notes that he is a very aggressive blocker. Treadwell is not viewed as a speed burner and in fact he declined to run the 40 at the combine. Draft Insider has him as the #8 overall prospect in the draft.
Treadwell brings many of the same things to the table as Doctson, but has greater physicality. The Kenny Britt comparison does give one pause.
3. Will Fuller (6-0, 184)
What you give up in size with Will Fuller vs. Josh Doctson/Laquon Treadwell you make up in pure speed. Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com praises his acceleration and deep play-making ability while also noting that he has a lot of drops:
"Although NFL teams will need to look past his average build and streaky ball-skills, Fuller is a big-time playmaker who has the speed to stretch the field and quickness to generate separation at the top of his routes, making him a borderline first-round pick."
Good old Mike Mayock compared Fuller to Marvin Harrison, noting that they both went to the same high school (that’s so relevant Mike!). USA Today slapped a third-round grade on Fuller, saying that though he obviously has great speed he will never develop into a genuine all-around receiving weapon. NFL Mocks says Fuller makes too many body catches. Walter Football notes that Fuller made some clutch catches for Notre Dame. Mel Kiper upgraded Fuller on his draft board to borderline-first-round after Fuller ran a 4.32 40 at the combine.
The Vikings made almost no use of Mike Wallace last year so it’s fair to wonder whether it would make sense to use a first round pick on a pure speed receiver who, like Wallace, has issues with drops. If Fuller is still there in the second and you haven’t taken a receiver, maybe you give him a look.
4. Michael Thomas (6-2, 210)
The No. 20 prospect on Draft Insider’s Big Board. Walter Football thinks Thomas is very well-rounded and would be a legitimate vertical threat in the NFL. CBSSports.com notes Thomas’s lack of raw athleticism and throws out Reuben Randle as an NFL comparison. NFL Mocks likes Thomas’ size and strength and thinks he makes sense in the late first. PFF thinks Thomas could develop into a #1 and compares him to Michael Floyd.
"Thomas has the potential to develop into a number one receiver, particularly given his ability to shake loose with double moves. At worst there’s a good chance that he’s a very good number two receiver, and would fit well in most offenses."
USA Today notes that Thomas had drop issues at times and didn’t fight back to the ball when his QB was scrambling. Greg Gabriel of National Football Post likes Thomas’ upside but thinks he should have stayed in school another year. NFL.com notes that Thomas sometimes struggles beating the press. Their NFL comparison? Charles Johnson.
The concern here is that Thomas is still a bit on the raw side and will need time to develop. The Vikings after letting Mike Wallace walk are a little thin in the receiver department and could probably use someone to step in immediately and help out. Treadwell is probably the most NFL-ready receiver in the whole group, and Doctson also is someone who looks like he’d be able to take on a big role right out of the chute.
5. Tyler Boyd (6-2, 190)
CBSSports.com calls Boyd a smooth athlete who lacks physicality, and compares him to the Eagles’ Nelson Agholor. NFL Mocks thinks Boyd’s production was held back in college and he’ll be a better receiver in the NFL. USA Today notes Boyd’s lack of explosiveness, and says he’ll need to refine his technique in order to gain separation at the next level. Walter Football reminds us that Boyd was suspended for a game in 2015 after a DUI arrest. Good old Mike Mayock in one of his protracted conference calls mentioned Boyd as a good pick for the Vikings in the second or third round. NFL.com went ahead and compared Boyd to San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen:
"Pittsburgh asked Boyd to be a running back and possession receiver this season, but that doesn’t define what he can be in the pros. Boyd makes up for a lack of speed with vice grips for hands and being intelligent in his routes. Boyd isn’t a standalone WR1, but he can be a very productive starter in a play-action attack that allows him to play to his strengths."
If the Vikings are looking to go receiver in round one, you have to believe Doctson and Treadwell are their targets. If neither of those guys is available I have to believe the Vikings will go O-line or D-line and wait until the second to pick a receiver. Anyone beyond Treadwell and Doctson looks like a big stretch at #23 as of right now.