Vikings Draft 2019: Seven-round dark horse mock draft

Round 4

Max Scharping – OT (Northern Illinois)

While much of the focus on upgrading the Vikings’ offensive line will be on the interior spots, they have a need at tackle too. With Minnesota anticipating the potential departure of Riley Reiff next year and little depth behind Brian O’Neill, the team will be on the lookout for someone who can help lock down the edge.

Here, the Vikings can go with Scharping, who was a four-year starter at tackle for Northern Illinois during his college career. Another selling point is that Scharping had experience at both left and right tackle during his time at NIU and despite being 6-foot-6 and 327 pounds, he still has the athleticism that is a fit for Minnesota’s anticipated offensive scheme.

The knock here is that he will need time to develop as a pass blocker thanks to inconsistent footwork and the fact that he played against a lower level of competition during his college career. However, his versatility will be helpful down the road if the Vikings decide to move O’Neill to the left side after this season.

Scharping could be a legitimate project if Minnesota can shore up the interior of its offensive line prior to the fourth round.