Who should the Minnesota Vikings target in the 2021 NFL Draft?
Since the Minnesota Vikings failed to reach the postseason this season, watching the playoffs isn’t going to be nearly as fun as last year. Even though there are likely to be some wonderful games played during Super Wild Card Weekend, it just isn’t the same without having the purple and gold to root for.
Instead, Vikings fans are forced to turn their attention to free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft. Minnesota will need to reload their roster with talent in order to be prepared for what already looks like an incredibly challenging list of competition next season.
Sure, Minnesota will likely make a few moves in free agency by re-signing some of their own talent as well as a budget player or two, but most of the new faces on the team for the 2021 NFL season will come through the draft.
Because of their 7-9 record this season, Minnesota holds the number 14 selection in the 2021 NFL Draft. The exact draft order of all seven rounds is yet to be determined due to compensatory picks, but here are the projected selections the Vikings will have according to First-Pick and the team’s official website:
- Round 1: (Pick 14 overall)
- Round 3
- Round 3 (from Ravens)
- Round 4
- Round 4 (from Bears)
- Round 4 (from Bills)
- Round 4 (projected comp. pick)
- Round 5
- Round 5 (from Ravens)
- Round 5 (from Steelers)
- Round 6
- Round 6 (projected comp. pick)
- Round 7
Of course, the Vikings are missing their second-round pick due to their trade with the Jaguars for Yannick Ngakoue. Plus, they received a third-round pick for trading Yannick Ngakoue to the Ravens. Plus, as a result of these trades, the team will own the Ravens’ fifth-round pick instead of their own.
Let’s take a look at a super-duper way too early mock draft that could hopefully help to set the Minnesota Vikings up for success during the 2021 NFL season.
NOTE: Big boards from Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports, and Tankathon were used to make this mock.
Round 1: Wyatt Davis, guard – Ohio State
There were two positions of need for the Minnesota Vikings that could have been filled in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. The team was likely hoping that Michigan pass rusher Kwity Paye would fall to them, but that seems highly unlikely with teams needing help on the edge ahead of them.
Instead, Minnesota fills their other biggest need by picking arguably the best interior lineman in the draft class. Wyatt Davis will immediately be an upgrade to any of the guards on the Viking roster and has the potential to be a long-term answer at a position the team has struggled so much to fill.
Choosing a right guard this early in the draft might raise a few eyebrows due to positional value, but Davis is totally worth it. The six-foot-four, 315-pound junior was an essential part of a Buckeyes offensive line that helped protect quarterback Justin Fields and make holes for the combination of Trey Sermon and Master Teague III.
If that’s not convincing enough, one look at his accolades will pop some eyes open. Wyatt Davis was an All-Big Ten and All-American in 2020 and 2019, winning the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year for his efforts in 2020. The game is in his blood, with his grandfather Willie being a dominant defensive lineman for the Packers back in the day and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Round 3 Pick 1: Paris Ford, safety – Pittsburgh
Having to wait so long after the team’s first pick, the Minnesota Vikings finally got another chance to select a player. The team needs to find a starter next to Harrison Smith for when Anthony Harris moves on this offseason and that could be Paris Ford.
Ford was a playmaker for Pittsburgh, known for his ability to make a play on the ball. He only played in seven games in 2020 since he opted out, but in that time he intercepted three passes to go with 41 total tackles and three tackles for a loss.
He could shine in a Mike Zimmer defense, where he could be used to rush the passer or drop back into coverage. With some help cleaning up his tackling technique, the six-foot, 190-pound defensive back could mature into a huge asset for the Vikings.
Round 3 Pick 2: Jordan Smith, Edge – UAB
There is a lot to love about Jordan Smith. One look at him and it’s easy to fall in love with his length as he stands six-foot-seven and weighs 255 pounds. His long arms make him a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen and his commitment to getting stronger and working on his technique make him a great short-term project for Mike Zimmer.
Smith’s production at UAB is exceptional. In his 21 games played, the pass-rushing specialist accumulated 23.5 tackles for a loss, with 12.5 of those being sacks. His ability to disrupt things even if he doesn’t get to the quarterback is exactly what Minnesota was missing last season.
The fact Smith isn’t higher on draft boards is a bit confusing, but until he likely blows things up at the combine with his measurables he would be a great pick for the Minnesota Vikings in the third round.
Round 4 Pick 1: Ambry Thomas, CB – Michigan
The Minnesota Vikings defense continues to reload with a young cornerback that opted out of the 2020 campaign at Michigan. Ambry Thomas played in 34 games at the college level but didn’t see significant action until 2019 when he registered two fumble recoveries, three interceptions, and three tackles for a loss in 12 games played.
At six feet tall and 183 pounds, Thomas isn’t going to blow anyone away with his size, but he is a high-effort player that doesn’t have to make a big splash right away. Still, the team needs to make sure they get young defensive backs to grow and develop.
Round 4 Pick 2: Shi Smith, WR – South Carolina
One thing that Minnesota could really use is a true third option at wide receiver. While the team has some great options at tight end and running back, an elusive player to put in the slot and take advantage of the attention Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen draw would be great for the offense.
Shi Smith averaged over 10 yards per catch in each of four collegiate seasons and hauled in 57 catches as a senior for 633 yards and four touchdowns. Smith is always trying to prove he’s the best, and that determination in a locker room with Thielen and Jefferson could be a best-case scenario for him.
Round 4 Pick 3: Deonte Brown, G – Alabama
Two guards in the first four rounds? Absolutely. Any new competition to the Vikings roster is more than welcome and a player like Deonte Brown could be just what the doctor ordered for an offensive line that struggled mightily on the interior.
Brown was a four-year player who was part of an elite unit at Alabama that was extremely efficient in both pass protection and run blocking. The six-foot-four, 350-pound blocker would have a chance to fight for a starting role in 2021 and have a realistic chance of winning one of them.
Round 4 Pick 4: James Wiggins, S – Cincinnati
Sadly, Anthony Harris will likely be moving on from the Minnesota Vikings and that leaves only Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus as the only returning players from the team’s 53 man roster. For that reason, Minnesota will be looking for someone to compete for a starting role, even against Paris Ford in this situation.
James Wiggins is a highly athletic defensive back that will open some eyes at the 2021 NFL Combine. However, it is his clutch plays that should be remembered as he has been known to grab some walk-off interceptions during his time in Cincinnati.
Round 5 Pick 1: Phidarian Mathis, DT – Alabama
If you made it this far in the mock, you likely are frustrated at the lack of a defensive tackle. While filling that gap next to Michael Pierce does need to happen, the team has a possible filler on the roster in Armon Watts or James Lynch…and that is if the team finally decides to move on from Shamar Stephen.
Mathis isn’t going to wow anyone at the combine or be the next Aaron Donald, but the six-foot-four and 312-pounder will be a project for Mike Zimmer to work with while he sees if the answer is currently on the roster. If nothing, he will be a backup with some decent potential moving forward after finishing with career-highs in nearly every category including tackles, tackles for a loss, sacks, and pass defenses.
Round 5 Pick 2: Kellen Mond, QB – Texas A&M
Minnesota could be in the hunt for a quarterback if they decide to let Sean Mannion walk in free agency. Honestly, almost anyone would be an upgrade to Mannion, but there is something really interesting about Kellen Mond that would be appealing to the Vikings if he falls to this point,
Mond is a bit of a dual-threat quarterback that can beat defenses with his arms or his legs. In 2020, he finished with a QB rating of 146.9 by throwing 19 touchdowns to only three interceptions. He is truly an underrated prospect that could climb draft boards, but for now, he would be a fun fit for the Vikings in Round 5.
Round 4 Pick 3: Isaiah Thomas, Edge – Oklahoma
The Minnesota Vikings cannot have enough edge rushers. After the team’s dismal pass rush during the 2020 NFL season, it became obvious that accumulating some more talent needs to be a priority…even if star defensive end Danielle Hunter returns for 2021.
Isaiah Thomas not only has a great name that is reminiscent of Detroit’s Bad Boys of Basketball, but his production in 2020 can’t be denied. The six-foot-seven monster of a man recorded 14 tackles for a loss with 7.5 of those being sacks in ten games played as a junior and would be a great toy for Mike Zimmer to play with.
Round 6 Pick 1: Ali Fayad, LB – Western Michigan
Ali Fayad likely wouldn’t be a starter for Minnesota, but he could provide some depth and be a contributor on special teams as he adjusts to the NFL level. The Vikings will likely bring back some combination of their backups, especially if they can’t bring back Eric Wilson.
A defensive end in college, Fayad pops at times on film much like Anthony Barr did before Minnesota drafted him. He is a rush specialist and caught 35.5 players behind the line of scrimmage in his 67 games plays, with 16.5 of those being sacks.
Round 6 Pick 1: Blake Lynch, K – Kansas State
Will the Vikings really draft a kicker again? Things didn’t work out too well for Minnesota when they took Daniel Carlson in the 2018 NFL Draft, but the team would be doing a disservice if they didn’t bring in some competition for Dan Bailey this season.
Lynch isn’t without his issues. In 2020, he was 11 for 13 on kicks from 40 yards or less but only made one of his four tries from outside that range. Still, Minnesota needs a player who can be consistent and his first two seasons at Kansas State saw him drill 33 out of 37 of his field goal tries.
Round 7 Pick 1: Zach Davidson, TE – Central Missouri
Odds are that the Vikings will try to find a way to wiggle out of the big contract that Kyle Rudolph signed during the last offseason. If they can accomplish that, they will be seeking another young tight end to join Irv Smith Jr. and Tyler Conklin.
Davidson is a big target that could be great in the red zone. Standing six-foot-seven and weighing 245 pounds, he is a streaky receiver that seems to get his statistics in bunches while disappearing at other times. If he can find some consistency, he could be a steal in the draft.
Grading every Minnesota Vikings position group from the 2020 season
What grade did each position group for the Minnesota Vikings earn for their play during the 2020 NFL season? And which groups received failing grades?
What do you think of this mock draft? Are there some picks that you would have made differently? And what other positions need to be addressed other than the ones in this mock? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.