Minnesota Vikings Draft 2021: Early five-round mock draft
By Luke Parrish
Fifth-Round Pick No. 1
Jeremiah Moon – EDGE (Florida)
Danielle Hunter‘s absence has been evident this season. The Vikings have not had much of a pass rush all season long but rookie D.J. Wonnum has shown plenty of promise early on. One player that I really enjoy is Florida edge rusher Jeremiah Moon.
Moon is a long rusher with speed but does not generate nearly enough power as a down lineman. Andre Patterson has proven to turn mid-round picks into stars and I think he can work wonders with Moon if given the chance.
Fifth-Round Pick No. 2
Chase Lucas – CB (Arizona State)
I know, I know. The Vikings need to take a cornerback earlier than the fifth round in 2021 but not having a second-round selection makes this difficult. I do not see the value right now to take a cornerback over the other players mentioned. Chase Lucas has been a stout cornerback at Arizona State for a while now.
Lucas is not going to blow people away with his athleticism but his traits as a cornerback make him a very good prospect. His patience and reaction time in the secondary are worth praising. A player with discipline and footwork is Mike Zimmer’s dream and Chase Lucas is that.
Fifth-Round Pick No. 3
Kylin Hill – RB (Mississippi State)
Dalvin Cook is the best running back in the NFL and he is making a ton of money. That does not mean the Vikings should just ignore the backfield in the draft altogether. When Cook is off the field, the offense takes a step back, regardless of who fills in for Cook.
I like Alexander Mattison but I do not see him as the right replacement for Cook because he lacks the speed and burst that Cook brings. Instead, the Vikings should look to Kylin Hill in the draft to bring another speedster to the backfield.
Hill possesses excellent vision and hits the hole with speed, which reminds me quite a bit of Dalvin Cook. Not to say he is the same back as Cook, but Hill can be a replacement back that does not alter the offense as much.