What the Vikings can expect from their 2020 sixth-round picks

Blake Brandel – OT (Oregon State)

The Vikings went back to the well with their first pick of the sixth round and took their second offensive lineman of the 2020 NFL Draft in Oregon State’s Blake Brandel.

What Brandel brings to the table is experience. He started 48 straight games for the Beavers with 39 of them being at left tackle. He also has good size at 6-foot-7 and 307 pounds. He moves well for his size and he is seen as more of a technician rather than a mauler.

Brandel lacks strength and he isn’t a very aggressive blocker. He tries to win by getting better position and better angles than the man he’s blocking, rather than overpowering him. There is a possibility of Minnesota moving Brandel to guard and this could be the position he ultimately ends up playing in the NFL.

So what should we expect from Brandel next season? He’s a guy who should come in and compete for a spot on the Vikings offensive line. If he is moved to guard, it will be his best chance as Minnesota has already revealed that both guard jobs are up for grabs.

He will need a period of adjustment as he learns the nuances of the position and he has to be considered a long shot to win a spot on the Vikings’ final 53-man roster for next season.

The best-case scenario for Brandel is likely that he earns a spot on Minnesota’s practice squad. This kid needs time in the weight room to improve his overall strength and he will probably need a year to learn the intricacies of playing guard at the NFL level.

His position flexibility will be a plus and this could be something that gets him on the practice squad over some of the other late-rounders and undrafted rookies who he’ll be competing against. If he can earn a practice squad spot and he is allowed to develop, he could end being a valuable depth piece sometime down the road.