1. The Vikings will NOT pick at 18.
The Minnesota Vikings currently have the 18th pick in the draft, but this year they won’t be staying put. The question at this point is if they’ll be moving up or down.
What could cause the team to move up would be an early run on offensive linemen. If Jawaan Taylor ends up going in the top 5 that could create a trickle-down effect. Jonah Williams would likely go a few picks later, followed by Andre Dillard and then possibly Cody Ford and Garrett Bradbury.
If this run does happen the Vikings could get antsy and package a few picks to move up, ensuring they get the offensive line help they need.
What could cause the Vikings to move down would be if they are on the clock at 18 and both Ford and Bradbury are available. The Vikings have to realize that both these guys could still be on the board in the late twenties and could look to move down. If they move down too far and Ford and Bradbury are both gone, they could still find offensive line help in a guy like Dalton Risner, Chris Lindstrom, or Erik McCoy, and they would add additional draft capital in the process. It’s a win-win situation and one the Vikings WILL do.