5 underrated first-round options for the Vikings at the 2020 NFL Draft

Xavier McKinney – S (Alabama)

Safety is a need for the Vikings this offseason and it could become a dire one. It would be a dire one if the team isn’t able to figure out a way to keep Anthony Harris, who has been a beast the last two seasons. He is excellent in pass coverage and he has a knack for making interceptions at key times.

If Harris takes more money to play somewhere else, this position skyrockets to the top of Minnesota’s needs list as there just isn’t anyone else on the current roster to fill the hole.

Even if the Vikings bring back Harris for 2020, they still need to flesh out the depth at the safety position. Like at wide receiver, they’d hate to have to do that in the first round, but if the best player on the board is a safety like Xavier McKinney, Minnesota shouldn’t feel one bit bad about taking him.

McKinney is a big hitter who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 200 pounds. He is a versatile defensive back who Alabama used in a variety of ways. He is great in coverage and can blitz off the edge with the best of them.

Even if the Vikings re-signed Harris, they’d find a role for the versatile McKinney as a rookie. He could play slot corner in passing situations and even a little linebacker if needed. There is so much Minnesota could do with him in their defense and that would make using the 25th overall pick on him well worth it.