5 options if the Vikings trade down in the 2020 NFL Draft

Ross Blacklock – DT (TCU)

Ross Blacklock is a prospect who many wouldn’t think twice if the Vikings took at pick No. 25. He’s a riser who has some pretty impressive tape floating around out there. So if Minnesota moves down and targets this guy, they slide down too far. He’d be an option if the team moved toward the end of the first round with a pick in the 30s.

The Vikings do have a need at defensive tackle this year. It’s unclear at this point if the team is going to keep Linval Joseph around for next season. Joseph is in his 30s and he didn’t have the best season in 2019.

The “Big Goon” did have some injury issues, so perhaps he wasn’t that healthy. Even if he comes back, Minnesota still needs to get another guy for next season who can create interior pressure.

Joseph and Shamar Stephen are both run stuffers and they rarely get into their opponents’ backfields. Armon Watts did show he can be that penetrator at times in 2019. But getting another big guy in there who can do the same would definitely benefit the Vikings defense.

Blacklock is a guy who can do both. He can create that pressure on the inside and be a force against the run.

He’s got a thick and powerful upper body that he uses to push back would-be blockers. He also has an underrated athletic ability and he uses his initial burst to blow by his opponent and then quickly close in on a quarterback or ball carrier.

The only reason Minnesota could pass on Blacklock at pick No. 25 is that they have more pressing needs. They could acquire an additional pick or picks, move down, and still land Blacklock late in the first or early in the second round. The Vikings could then use the extra picks they got in their trade to address their more dire needs.