Vikings Draft 2020: Seven-round dark horse mock draft

Seventh Round (Pick No. 253)

Raymond Calais – RB (Louisiana)

Odds are Raymond Calais is going to be selected before we get this late in the draft, but in this “dark horse” mock draft, I wanted to get him in here.

If you’re a fan of big running backs like Derrick Henry, this isn’t the guy for you. But if you’re into 5-foot-8, 188-pound speed demons, it’s time to buckle up.

Calais doesn’t have the size you want from a workhorse running back. But in a Vikings offense designed on efficiency, he can house a long run anytime he touches the ball.

Pro Football Focus charted 44 of his 193 carries going for 10 yards or more (a 23 percent clip) and at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, he posted a solid 4.42-second time in the 40-yard dash, meaning once he gets the ball in his hands, good things are about to happen.

The concern about Calais other than his size is his lack of receiving production, but he did catch 20 of his 21 targets with Louisiana. With the bonus of experience returning kicks (28.5 yards per return last season), he should at least be able to push Ameer Abdullah for a role that hasn’t seen a touchdown since Cordarrelle Patterson left.

The Vikings already have a strong stable of running backs, but Calais can provide explosiveness to the team’s rushing attack even if Dalvin Cook goes down due to injury. As a niche runner in a system where running backs are interchangeable, Calais can bring something different to the table.