5 options who could start at guard for the Vikings in 2020
By Chris Schad
Dru Samia
As a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Dru Samia had an interesting pedigree as a member of an Oklahoma unit that won the Joe Moore Award as the best offensive line in college football.
In his senior season with the Sooners, Samia was a master in pass-blocking registering a 78.3 rating that was 34th among blockers at FBS schools. In addition, Samia didn’t allow a single sack and allowed just he 11 pressures, helping the Sooners make a push to the College Football Playoff.
Obviously, there are some things to consider here. First, playing in the NCAA is a lot harder than the NFL and will require adjustment. That’s why the Vikings didn’t let him see the field in his rookie season to “redshirt” and get stronger. Second, Samia’s quarterback was Kyler Murray, who happens to be a little more mobile than his current quarterback, Kirk Cousins.
Still, there should be a chance for Samia to seize a job. His athleticism is a perfect fit for Gary Kubiak‘s zone-blocking scheme and Mike Zimmer hinted that younger players along the line could get an opportunity in 2020. Samia would fall into that group and he should be considered to win the starting right guard spot after the release of Josh Kline earlier this offseason.