Vikings Draft 2019: Seven-round dark horse mock draft

Round 3

Dawson Knox – TE (Ole Miss)

Knox may not be a dark horse in Viking circles, but he may be a surprising pick over the likes of more well-known prospects Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson and Jace Sternberger. Regardless, the 6-foot-4, 250-pound tight end has the tools needed to finally end Minnesota’s search for a more athletic tight end.

Judging by his workout numbers alone, Knox looks like he could come in and dominate the league at an early age. His 4.64 seconds in the 40-yard dash is a dream to those who believe Kyle Rudolph might struggle to break five seconds in his 40 time.

Knox’s catch radius also ranked in the 77th percentile of tight ends available in this year’s draft pool, meaning he’d be a reliable red zone threat if given the opportunity.

Said opportunity was limited at Ole Miss as Knox wasn’t featured in the passing game with top receiver prospects D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown on the roster. Despite not catching a single touchdown during his time at Oxford, Knox is an intriguing prospect that given time to develop, could hit big down the road.