Minnesota Vikings Draft 2021: Early five-round mock draft
By Luke Parrish
Third-Round Pick No. 1
Jaylen Twyman – IDL (Pittsburgh)
The Vikings do not have a second-round pick in 2021, but they still have plenty of selections stashed in the middle of the draft. With two picks in the third round, Minnesota can fill two huge needs. First up, they take Jaylen Twyman out of Pitt to help on the interior of the defensive line.
Twyman is a long interior defender with speed and quickness up front. He does a great job of getting pressure through the middle and using his size and length to disrupt the pocket. As an overall good athlete, Twyman is a fun prospect that can add some versatility to the middle of the defensive line.
Third-Round Pick No. 2
Andre Cisco – S (Syracuse)
Andre Cisco is a player that I have graded as a first-round prospect, but he will likely slide a bit after recently suffering a season-ending knee injury. He was a turnover machine at Syracuse with 13 interceptions and two forced fumbles in 26 career games. He also recorded 14 pass breakups and 136 tackles in that span.
The Vikings have no depth at safety and they do not have Anthony Harris signed to a long-term deal. Letting Harris walk in 2021 while replacing him with a player of Cisco’s caliber is a win-win move for Minnesota. Cisco can play freely next to Harrison Smith and he brings a turnover mentality that the Vikings defense currently lacks.