The Minnesota Vikings will surprise fans with the players they pick and trades made during the 2018 NFL Draft. Here are 5 bold predictions from the draft.
Millions of football fans around the world will be tuning in to watch the 2018 NFL Draft starting on Thursday, April 26, 2018. The Minnesota Vikings are among the teams hoping to find the right pieces to help take the franchise to the next level.
Minnesota has 8 selections over the course of the three-day, seven round event where the top college prospects will find out which teams they will be selected by in an order based upon their success during the 2017 season.
However, the NFL Draft rarely goes according to plan. Trades will happen and surprising selections will be made, leaving fans with the jaw on the ground because the mock drafts they have been looking at go right out the window.
Let’s take a look at some things that might happen at the 2018 NFL Draft that fans of the Minnesota Vikings might not expect to happen…starting with the team’s first-round pick.
1. The Vikings will NOT select an offensive lineman in round one
There has been a lot of talk about the Vikings desperately needing to select an offensive lineman with their first pick in the draft. Heck, most experts have the team taking a guard or offensive tackle. Despite that, there are some great reasons that might not be necessary.
While there are some very talented linemen in this draft class, there is also some great depth at the interior and tackle spots which may allow Minnesota to wait if there are players available at positions where depth is worse.
Past Quinton Nelson, there are some more specialized linemen like the road grading Will Hernandez and solid blocker Kolton Miller, but the real question is how significant the difference is between prospects like Isaiah Wynn, Connor Williams, Mike McGlinchey, Billy Price, James Daniels, and others are.
With so many great prospects available, Minnesota can afford to wait, especially if another position of need can be filled in the first round.
2. The Vikings will draft a cornerback in the first round
You know how I was talking about drafting a player at a position of need where there isn’t as much depth? Well, that applies directly to the desperation the Vikings have at cornerback heading into the 2018 NFL season.
Minnesota let Tramaine Brock walk after trading for him early in the season and still haven’t brought back aging veteran Terence Newman. Despite a significant improvement from Mackensie Alexander and solid play from Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes, there is a definite need for depth and talent.
Right now, the fourth and fifth cornerbacks on the depth chart would be Marcus Sherels and Horace Richardson. The team can’t feel too comfortable with that, especially since they are looking for a nickel corner for the defense.
Mike Hughes seems like a perfect fit for the defense, but others could be a great fit too. Josh Jackson might slide after a disappointing combine and turn out to be an absolute steal in the first round. Either way, more great talent is needed early in the draft.
3. Minnesota will wait until day two to draft an offensive lineman
So, if the Vikings are taking a cornerback in the first round…when are they going to get to the linemen? Well, that will happen on Day 2.
Rounds 2 and 3 of the draft should see the Vikings taking both an offensive lineman and a pass-rushing defensive end to fortify their lines and prepare for the future…but for two very different reasons.
Minnesota will be looking to replace the solid play of the retiring Joe Berger. With very little depth behind him, an interior lineman should be on the top of Minnesota’s wish list (assuming the Vikings aren’t considering moving Remmers inside).
Meanwhile, Danielle Hunter is scheduled to become a free agent after this season and Brian Robison will be hanging up his cleats sometime soon. Tashawn Bower has flashed some potential, but the Vikings will want to have more talent available for rotational and depth purposes.
4. Vikings will add a RB, LB, CB and more OL in the middle rounds
Okay, so this one isn’t that bold, but it makes sense. Rounds 4-6 are the perfect time to start taking a gamble on some players with a lot of potential at spots where you have starters penciled in and hope they can make a name for themselves.
The need for depth on the offensive line is obvious, but Minnesota there are some spots where players can make some challenges and compete for spots on the 53-man roster or on the practice squad.
Ben Gedeon was solid as a starting linebacker despite playing less than a quarter of the team’s defensive snaps in 2017 according to Pro Football Reference. The team spent a lot of time in nickel, but with the lack of cornerback depth, that might be a bit of an issue during the 2018 season. That means we should expect to see more than one cornerback come to the Vikings in the draft this year to go with a linebacker.
Meanwhile, Minnesota will want to bring in competition for running back Mack Brown and hope to see him outplay a shifty pass-catching running back who is taken somewhere on Day 3.
5. Minnesota will draft a kicker
Some fans won’t like this, but Minnesota should definitely be looking at drafting a kicker for the future or at least to compete with Kai Forbath for the team’s duties heading into the 2018 NFL season.
Minnesota Vikings
The team waited on him in free agency and let him test the waters, but ended up returning on a one-year deal worth $790,000 and a cap hit of only $630,000. However, the deal included no guaranteed money or bonuses.
Forbath didn’t miss a single field goal in 2016, but failed to connect on 6 of his 38 regular season attempts last season and missed 5 extra point tries as well. While those aren’t horrible numbers, Minnesota should want to find some consistency for multiple years and possibly someone with a stronger leg for kickoffs and long field goals.
There are a couple of interesting prospects in this year’s draft. Daniel Carlson hasn’t missed an extra point during his entire career at Auburn (141/141). Meanwhile, the strong leg of Eddy Pineiro has caught the eye of many fans, even those on YouTube watching his 81-yard field goal at practice.
Next: Vikings 7-round mock draft 2.0
What kind of bold predictions do you have for the Minnesota Vikings at the 2018 NFL Draft? Do you think the team will trade out of the first round? Will they pick a surprising player? Should they trade up on Day 2 or 3? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.