Vikings add DE D.J. Wonnum in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft

With their first pick on Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings added a new piece to their defense with South Carolina’s D.J. Wonnum.

In what figures to be a very busy afternoon for them, the Minnesota Vikings kicked off the third and final day of the 2020 NFL Draft by adding another talented prospect to their roster in the fourth round.

During each of the first two days of this year’s draft, the Vikings used their first selection on players from the offensive side of the ball. Well, on Saturday, Minnesota went a different route and began their afternoon by adding a talented pass rusher.

With pick No. 117 in the fourth round, the Vikings decided to select former South Carolina defensive end, D.J. Wonnum.

Last season at South Carolina, Wonnum appeared in 11 games and he finished with 37 tackles (9.5 for a loss), 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception. In four years at the school, he racked up a total of 14 sacks and 29.5 tackles for a loss.

At 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, there’s a lot to be excited about when it comes to Wonnum’s potential with Minnesota. Now with the opportunity to learn from one of the league’s best defensive line minds in Andre Patterson, the Vikings are hoping their newest defensive end can add another wrinkle to their pass rush in the near future.

Minnesota’s defense went through a lot of changes this offseason thanks to a number of key departures. With three of their first five picks of this year’s draft, the Vikings are doing their best to fill these voids and decrease the potential impact of these losses on the defense for next season.