Vikings add to the secondary in early 2021 mock draft

An early 2021 mock draft has the Minnesota Vikings picking a safety out of Syracuse.

Harrison Smith has been a staple in the Minnesota Vikings defense ever since the team selected him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

In 2020, Smith will be entering his ninth season with the Vikings and at 31-years-old, his time with the team is, unfortunately, approaching the end faster than some would like.

With just two years left on his current contract, it might be time for Minnesota to consider thinking about finding a replacement for him. In a recent 2021 mock draft, the Vikings did just that.

Early 2021 mock draft has the Minnesota Vikings adding a safety

Now, the 2021 NFL Draft is very far away from happening and who knows exactly when it will even take place with the current COVID-19 pandemic impacting multiple current and future events in every major professional sport.

Still, it’s fun to take a peek at what Minnesota could be looking at when it comes time for them to make their first pick in next year’s draft. Will the Vikings use a first-round selection on a prospect from the defensive side of the ball for the third time since 2018 or will they add another young weapon for their offense with their first pick?

Well according to WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell, Minnesota will use their first selection on Syracuse safety Andre Cisco. In his latest 2021 mock draft, Campbell has the Vikings going with Cisco as someone who could come in and eventually replace Smith.

The young safety prospect has good size (6-feet, 203 pounds) and his last two seasons at Syracuse have been full of him making play after play. Cisco finished with five interceptions and five pass breakups last year and in 2018, he ended his season with seven interceptions and nine pass breakups.

At the very least, he could come in and be an immediate replacement for Anthony Harris in 2021 for Minnesota’s defense. Cisco could then team up with Smith in the back of the secondary for a season or two before taking over as the leader of the Vikings defensive backs.

Even if Cisco doesn’t end up being who Minnesota goes with in the first round of next year’s draft, safety will likely end up being one of their top priorities when they begin the 2021 offseason.