3 biggest needs for the Minnesota Vikings in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
The Minnesota Vikings have plenty of holes to fill in the upcoming NFL Draft.
When the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock in the 2021 NFL Draft, there are plenty of directions they could go.
The Vikings defense is a mystery heading into next season, but the offensive line has been a huge hindrance on that side of the ball as well. So what are some of the team’s biggest needs heading into the 2021 draft?
Need No. 1
Defensive Line
It’s no secret that Minnesota struggled mightily in the trenches in 2020. The run defense could not stop a nosebleed and watched Alvin Kamara gash them for six touchdowns on Christmas Day. The trade for Yannick Ngakoue quickly backfired and he was shipped off to Baltimore for draft picks. Ngakoue, who only played in six games for the Vikings, still ended up leading the team in sacks and forced fumbles in 2020.
Minnesota’s pass rush completely fell off a cliff without Danielle Hunter in the mix and one would expect the team to take another edge rusher at some point in the early stages of the 2021 draft.
The Vikings could also address the interior of the defensive line, adding a stout run-stuffer to play alongside Michael Pierce in his purple and gold debut.
Two names to really keep an eye on are Gregory Rousseau and Marvin Wilson. Rousseau only played one season at Miami before opting out and declaring for the draft, but he is a perfect mold for Minnesota co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson.
The 6-foot-5, 260-pound edge rusher recorded 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt freshman in 2019. Pairing him with Hunter would be a deadly combo off the edge.
Wilson was a first-round prospect coming into the 2020 college season, but he struggled a bit in his six games for Florida State. He is a very athletic interior rusher who can be a menace in the run game and as a pass rusher.