5 bold Minnesota Vikings predictions for the 2020 NFL Draft
By Chris Schad
Vikings will trade up in the first round for an offensive tackle
When the Vikings are on the clock with the 22nd overall pick in the NFL Draft, they’ll have plenty of options.
There’s the chance they could add to their cornerback stable with Mike Hughes and Holton Hill being the last men standing or they could tap into a highly-regarded wide receiver group to try to replace Stefon Diggs.
But the one area that Minnesota has neglected for years is offensive tackle. Outside of signing Riley Reiff and Mike Remmers to big contracts before the 2017 season, the Vikings have relied on finding diamonds in the rough later in the draft, which has produced a lack of depth.
With Minnesota also releasing Josh Kline this offseason, general manager Rick Spielman will have to get aggressive to solve one of the team’s biggest weaknesses.
By trading up, the Vikings don’t have to sit at pick No. 22 and hope for one of the big tackles to fall. A trade with the San Francisco 49ers at pick No. 13 or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at pick No. 14 could help net a prospect like Iowa’s Tristen Wirfs or Georgia’s Andrew Thomas.
Either prospect could represent a pillar of Minnesota’s future offensive line and kick Reiff inside to guard, filling another spot on the line. Armed with a quarterback who needs everything to go right, reinforcing his first line of protection seems like it would be a good place to start.