Who are some of the defensive tackles available in this year’s NFL draft that could end up with the Minnesota Vikings for next season?
So far this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have improved the overall talent of their defensive tackle group for 2018. The Vikings were able to land Sheldon Richardson in free agency and his presence will be an immediate upgrade over Tom Johnson on the defensive line in 2018.
Despite the addition of Richardson, Minnesota did lose some of their defensive tackle depth when Johnson and Shamar Stephen both left to sign with the Seattle Seahawks this offseason. With these departures and Richardson’s deal only being for one season, the Vikings will likely be drafting a defensive tackle this year.
Who are some of the prospects in the 2018 draft pool that could join Richardson, Linval Joseph, and Jaleel Johnson in the middle of Minnesota’s defensive line next season?
Taven Bryan, Florida
Measurements:
- 6-foot-4
- 291 pounds
2017 Stats:
- 37 total tackles (6 for a loss)
- 4 sacks
Draft Projection: Rounds 1-2
If there’s one thing Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer loves to have on his defense it’s players with the ability to line up at multiple positions. Bryan is just that as he is definitely one of the most versatile defensive lineman available in the 2018 draft pool.
While at Florida, he played in one of their defensive tackle slots for the majority of each game. However, he’s deceptively quick for his size and Minnesota could easily line him up as a defensive end on passing situations.
Bryan is also incredibly strong. He doesn’t have a chiseled frame like a Danielle Hunter, but he consistently tossed opposing offensive lineman around like rag dolls last season
There are some aspects of his game that need improvement, but there’s nothing major that cannot be fixed with some teaching from Vikings defensive line coach Andre Patterson.
P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State
Measurements:
- 6-foot-1
- 310 pounds
2017 Stats:
- 60 total tackles (19 for a loss)
- 6 sacks, 1 forced fumble
- 1 interception, 4 blocked kicks
Draft Projection: Rounds 3-4
Hall is definitely very athletic for a guy his size. Prior to the 2017 season, he only weighed 280 pounds and lined up as a defensive end. The extra 30 pounds he gained last year didn’t seem to have too much of an effect on his abilities as a defensive lineman though.
Hall doesn’t do a ton that will blow people away, but he does a lot of the little things well. During his four-year career at Sam Houston State, he blocked a whopping total of 14 kicks.
Despite his large frame, Hall struggled at times to get away from blockers or push them into the offensive backfield. If Minnesota were to bring him in, it would likely be for nothing more than depth and special teams work for awhile.
Harrison Phillips, Stanford
Measurements:
- 6-foot-4
- 307 pounds
2017 Stats:
- 98 total tackles (17 for a loss)
- 7.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Draft Projection: Rounds 2-4
If the Vikings are looking for an eventual replacement for Linval Joseph, Phillips could be their guy.
The former Stanford defensive tackle is extremely strong (42 reps of 225 pounds at the 2018 combine) and he rarely lets opponents escape from his grasp. Anytime an opposing team ever tried to run straight at him, it usually resulted in Philipps making them regret that decision.
He’s definitely not a speed-demon by any means, but his methods on the field are still effective in getting to the quarterback and stopping the run. And when he actually is in pass-rushing situations, his background as an amateur wrestler allows him to have more success in shedding blocks when going one-on-one with opposing offensive linemen.
Nathan Shepherd, Fort Hays State
Measurements:
- 6-foot-5
- 315 pounds
2017 Stats:
- 38 total tackles (12.5 for a loss)
- 4 sacks
Draft Projection: Rounds 4-6
Another small school guy the Vikings could be interested in, Shepherd’s massive frame doesn’t prevent him from moving around like an edge-rusher at times. Relentless is a word that perfectly describes how he approaches each of his snaps out on the field.
Blocking him one-on-one never turned out to be a good idea for his opponents. Thanks to his explosiveness, constant double-teams still couldn’t stop Shepherd from being a hassle for opposing offenses either.
Prior to injuring his hand, the young defensive tackle was drawing plenty of interest from NFL scouts with his impressive play during the 2018 Senior Bowl practices.
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His lack of competition while playing at the Division II level in college is definitely something to take into account when evaluating his potential. But for teams like Minnesota that have a good track record of getting the most out of their defensive linemen, Shepherd would be a great player for the Vikings to take a chance on this year.