4 guard prospects the Vikings should already be thinking about
By Luke Parrish
Zion Johnson (Boston College)
If you are looking for a complete sleeper at this point in the pre-draft process, Zion Johnson might be the guy. He began his career at Davidson before transferring to Boston College and he has become a starter for the Eagles.
Johnson plays left tackle for Boston College, but his NFL future will likely result in a move inside. He is a physical and aggressive blocker in the run game who initiates contact at the first and second levels.
Overall, Johnson is a good athlete who does his job on the line, but he has not proven to be a total game-changer at this point.
Like any lineman, Johnson has his fair share of whiffs and missed assignments, but he has improved over time. He has also shown the ability to step up his play to take on tougher competition after going from Davidson to the ACC.
If the Vikings choose to go the late-round route when addressing the offensive line in next year’s draft, Johnson could be a mid-round pick to monitor for them.