Minnesota Vikings draft 2017: Post free agency mock draft
By Jordan Reid
Long-time linebacker Chad Greenway ultimately announced his retirement on March 6. With the 11-year veteran hanging his cleats up, that leaves Emmanuel Lamur as the lone outside linebacker currently on the roster.
Unsure whether Lamur can fill the duties of Greenway, the team must bring in competition and possibly someone to add depth to a thin group. Former LSU linebacker Duke Riley follows in a long line of LSU tacklers that are transcending the NFL.
With the NFL evolving to more of a passing league, teams are now looking for linebackers who can not only stop the run, but also have the versatility to drop in coverage. Deion Jones and Kwon Alexander are the most recent examples of linebackers who are smaller, but quicker. This is the mold and body type that teams are now turning to.
Similar to his LSU counterparts, Riley has the same body frame, at 6 feet, 232 pounds, he shows tremendous ability to run sideline-to-sideline. He is relentless in his pursuit to the ball and that is a trait that Mike Zimmer covets. He loves defenders that can run and show non-stop effort.
Both traits are what Riley possesses, but what makes him a fit for the Vikings is his character and work ethic. As a freshman, he contributed mostly as a special teams player, but as his career progressed he eventually was named a team captain and the clear leader of the Tigers’ defense.
One of the Vikings’ biggest weaknesses in 2016 was when teams kept them in their base defense, meaning there were three linebackers on the field. It is no secret that Greenway lost a step as his career waned. Teams were able to take advantage of him, isolating him in one-on-one situations with their best pass catching running back or tight end.
With Riley, this is not a concern as he has shown he is able to cover running backs out of the backfield as well as run with taller tight ends down the seam.
Combine Results:
- Height: 6 feet
- Weight: 232 pounds
- Arm Length: 32 inches
- Hand Size: 9 1/4 inches
- Best 40 Yard Dash: 4.58 seconds
- Bench Press: 18 reps
- Vertical Jump: 34 1/2 inches
- Broad Jump: 122 inches
- Three Cone Drill: 6.89 seconds
- 20 Yard Shuttle: 4.21 seconds