The Viking Age
FanSided

5 prospects the Vikings should hope don’t land in the NFC North

By Nik Edlund

JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 30: Montez Sweat #9 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs reacts after a tackle for loss against the Louisville Cardinals during the TaxSlayer Bowl at EverBank Field on December 30, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bulldogs won 31-27. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - DECEMBER 30: Montez Sweat #9 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs reacts after a tackle for loss against the Louisville Cardinals during the TaxSlayer Bowl at EverBank Field on December 30, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. The Bulldogs won 31-27. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) Montez Sweat
(Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images) Montez Sweat /

Montez Sweat – DE (Mississippi State)

The Vikings’ offensive line has improved a little bit in free agency with the signing of Josh Kline and Dakota Dozier, but it is still a work in progress. That is what makes the potential of facing a guy with unnatural talent twice a year so horrifying.

Montez Sweat is a huge man sitting at 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds. This huge man ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds at this year’s Combine and that’s not human-like.

Sweat is a freakish athlete who has an explosive first step to go along with his long arms and big old mitts that he can use to throw off his would-be blockers and then swallow up quarterbacks.

A guy who is that big and that fast really cannot be blocked by one man alone. Minnesota left tackle Riley Reiff struggled a season ago with speed rushers and right tackle Brian O’Neil is still progressing in that area.

If Sweat ends up on the Lions and the Vikings have to face him twice a year, they will need to get creative in how they will try to slow him down. Minnesota would have to chip him with a tight end or utilize fullback C.J. Ham more in those games and have him constantly help out to block this freak-show of a human.

The Vikings should hope Sweat is off the board before it becomes Detroit’s turn to pick in the first round this year. There is a chance his heart condition could scare a team off from using a top 10 selection on him. If not, this guy could end up being a headache and a problem for Minnesota for a long time.

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