NFL Draft 2018: Which players are attending this year?
By Adam Carlson
22 of the top college prospects will be in attendance at the 2018 NFL Draft, but will one of those players be selected by the Minnesota Vikings at #30?
The NFL Draft is an amazing time for college football players when the find which team will gain their services and hopefully move closer to the goal of every player in the league: a Super Bowl victory.
While the players are the focus, the 2018 Draft is set to be a spectacle like previous seasons with a massive stage, millions watching on television, and commissioner Roger Goodell on hand to announce the picks in the first round.
There will plenty of drama and intrigue at the draft, but there will also be showmanship. One of the coolest things from the first day of the event is seeing some of the top prospects come to the stage after having their name called to hold up the jersey of their new team and pose for photos.
This year is no different. 22 of the top prospects from the NCAA will be on hand at the event and ready to take the stage when they are selected. Here is the list of players expected to attend the 2018 NFL Draft according to NFL.com:
Minnesota Vikings
- Jaire Alexander, CB, Louisville
- Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming
- Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
- Taven Bryan, DT, Florida
- Bradley Chubb, DE, North Carolina State
- Sam Darnold, QB, USC
- Marcus Davenport, DE, UTSA
- Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Virginia Tech
- Rashaan Evans, LB, Alabama
- Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Alabama
- Shaquem Griffin, LB, Central Florida
- Derrius Guice, RB, LSU
- Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa
- Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
- Derwin James, S, Florida State
- Kolton Miller, OT, UCLA
- Josh Rosen, QB, UCLA
- Roquan Smith, LB, Georgia
- Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State
- Vita Vea, DT, Washington
- Denzel Ward, CB, Ohio State
- Connor Williams, OT, Texas
Of course, some of these players will be chosen early. Quarterbacks Sam Darnold, Josh Allen, Josh Rosen, Saquon Barkley, and Bradley Chubb will be among those taken within the first few picks at the event.
Time will tell which prospects will be available when the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock, but hopefully whoever is chosen gets the experience of stepping onto the stage and holding up that purple and gold jersey. However, since there are no interior linemen on the list, it’s possible the team selects someone who is not in attendance.
Fans of the draft process will remember occasions where top prospects were left sitting, waiting for their name to be called. The draft day experience for Aaron Rodgers wasn’t what he and experts expected and other prospects have gone the entirety of the first day without being selected, returning for the second and third round.
Next: The 15 best first round Vikings draft picks of all time
Do you think the Minnesota Vikings will be selecting one of the players who will be in attendance at the 2018 NFL Draft or will there not be a collegiate star in attendance hoisting the purple and gold jersey during the first round? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.