In a way too early 2019 mock draft, USA TODAY’s Draft Wire has the Minnesota Vikings selecting Miami defensive lineman Joe Jackson.
The 2018 NFL Draft has concluded and the Minnesota Vikings now have a number of new players to get ready for the upcoming season.
But for those who just cannot get enough of the NFL Draft and the mock drafts that come along with the coverage for each year, USA TODAY’s Draft Wire has already published their first mock draft for 2019 (try and contain your excitement).
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling revealed his early predictions on Monday for the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and he has the Vikings picking at 30th.
With the 30th selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, Easterling believes that Minnesota will add another pass rusher in University of Miami defensive lineman Joe Jackson.
Minnesota Vikings
"“Jackson is exactly the kind of big, athletic edge defender Mike Zimmer loves to develop, and a strong 2018 campaign could easily land him in the first round.”"
Jackson is entering his junior season at Miami in 2018. During his first two years at the school, the 6-foot-5, 258 pound pass rusher racked up a total of 82 tackles (14 for a loss) and 14 sacks.
Even if it doesn’t end up being Jackson, selecting a pass rusher in the first round is definitely a route that the Vikings could take in the 2019 draft.
Minnesota will likely lose Brian Robison to retirement after this season and Everson Griffen will be coming into the tail end of his career. And while it looks like the plan now is to bring back Danielle Hunter in 2019, there’s still a small chance that the Vikings could let him hit the free-agent market if he becomes too expensive to retain.
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It’s possible that someone on Minnesota’s current roster could emerge in 2018 and become part of the team’s pass-rushing arsenal. But it seems more likely than not that Minnesota will need to add some defensive line help through the draft next year.