5 prospects the Vikings could reach for in the 2020 NFL Draft

Brandon Aiyuk – WR (Arizona State)

The Vikings suddenly have a huge need at wide receiver. They traded Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills and while they acquired an additional first-round pick along with other choices, they are suddenly extremely thin at the position.

Clearly Adam Thielen will be the No. 1 wide receiver for Minnesota next season. But after Thielen on the depth chart is Bisi Johnson and then nothing but question marks as no other receiver on the roster is guaranteed a job in 2020. The Vikings have to replenish the wide receiver cupboard during this year’s draft, but they also don’t have to force the issue.

The 2020 NFL Draft features one of the deepest groups of wide receivers that there has ever been. There will be receivers taken in the fourth round that in a normal year would probably go in the early second round. This is great news for Minnesota since they will likely draft at least two this April if not more.

Brandon Aiyuk is a fine player measuring at 6-feet and 195 pounds with has a nice, thick upper body. He only ran a his 40-yard dash in 4.5 seconds at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, but his game speed is much faster than that.

He’s got reliable hands and he can create a lot of yardage after the catch. He does need some work on his route running, but this guy should be ready to go from day one.

As nice as a prospect as Aiyuk is, there isn’t much that separates him from other receiving prospects who are ranked right around the same area. In fact, he should probably be ranked lower because he doesn’t possess the size of a Tee Higgins or Denzel Mims and he doesn’t have the speed of a Justin Jefferson.

Aiyuk is more of an early Day 2 pick and the Vikings, if they do want him, would be best to look to swing a deal to move down the board a bit to get better value rather than taking him at pick No. 22 or 25.