Vikings Draft 2021: Pre-Super Bowl five-round mock draft

Third Round (Pick No. 91)

Talanoa Hufanga – S (USC)

The Vikings have to get some safety help in the 2021 NFL Draft. Anthony Harris signing with a new team this offseason is all but a given and the team can’t roll into 2021 with Josh Metellus or Myles Dorn starting next to Harrison Smith.

Minnesota isn’t expected to have a ton of cap space this year, so chances are high that it’ll be a highly drafted rookie playing opposite the Hitman next season.

One guy who could have an impact in year one is this former USC Trojan, Talanoa Hufanga. He is an instinctive player with natural playmaking ability. He has a knack for swatting balls out of his opponents’ hands and he knows exactly when to go up and high point a ball to knock it away.

He is sticky in coverage and he also times his breaks on the football perfectly, getting there just when it is about to hit the hands of the receiver.

Hufanga is also experienced having played in 24 career games against some top-shelf competition. He accumulated 203 tackles (16.5 for a loss), 6.5 sacks, and four interceptions. He’s also broken up eight passes and forced four fumbles in his career at USC.

This year’s safety class isn’t top-heavy, but it is loaded with talented players and Minnesota should take advantage of this with one of their third-round picks.