Vikings Draft 2021: Post-Super Bowl four-round mock draft
By Dean Jones
Third Round (Pick No. 91)
Aaron Banks – G (Notre Dame)
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Vikings need a complete overhaul of their guard positions this year.
This became a glaring weakness for Minnesota as the 2020 season wore on and with little in the way of money expected to be available to get an experienced veteran in free agency, picking up a couple of exciting prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft seems like the best route for the Vikings to go down.
Aaron Banks comes into the evaluation process riding on the crest of a wave following a standout 2020 season with Notre Dame. He is a commanding presence that is incredibly difficult to remove off the block and he has the necessary experience normally associated with a plug-and-play college prospect.
Banks seems like a good fit for the Vikings’ offensive scheme, which isn’t expected to change too much with the recent promotion of Klint Kubiak to offensive coordinator.
The young offensive lineman is quick to the point of attack and he has the power needed to ensure he can still make his presence felt against bigger and more dominant defensive tackles in the NFL.
It’s looking like this year’s draft could feature a deep class of offensive linemen. So if Minnesota can pick a couple of blue-chip recruits early on and perhaps find a gem or two in the later rounds, it is sure to stand them in good stead with a view to improving in this particular area of the field next time around.