Which way will the Minnesota Vikings go with their bounty of 2021 NFL Draft picks?
This is one of the more important offseasons in recent memory for the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are coming off a 2020 season littered with inconsistencies that eventually ended without a playoff berth thanks in no small part to their disappointing opening to the campaign.
So what happens next in the coming weeks is going to have substantial ramifications for Minnesota’s long and short-term aspirations.
Not having much in the way of financial wiggle room with the salary-cap expected to come down this year due to revenue losses related to COVID-19 isn’t ideal. Some significant sacrifices need to be made by the Vikings ahead of free agency, with plenty of established veterans on the chopping block given the savings involved with their early departures.
Minnesota can take some solace from the fact they’ve got a bounty of picks in the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft to bolster their roster on the cheap.
The Vikings are without a second-round selection this year following the ill-fated trade to acquire Yannick Ngakoue, who lasted just six games in 2020. But with seven choices in the first four rounds alone, there is a multitude of different avenues Minnesota could go down in the draft.
It sounds like the Vikings are willing to continue with quarterback Kirk Cousins for the foreseeable future, which makes building around him this offseason essential.
Cousins’ production after the bye week this past season was hugely encouraging. So if Minnesota can hit the ground running next time around, it might put them in a strong position for the postseason after missing out on it in 2020.
Let’s take a look at which incoming college prospects the Vikings could end up taking in this four-round mock draft.
First Round (Pick No. 14)
Christian Darrisaw – OT (Virginia Tech)
It appears that the Vikings could be moving on from Riley Reiff this offseason. The left tackle actually played pretty well in 2020 all things considered, but the financial savings involved with his release in the current climate might be too good for Minnesota to turn down.
If he is let go, it would make getting a long-term replacement for him a top priority for the Vikings this offseason. Minnesota doesn’t have a second-round pick in this year’s draft, so it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world to see them use the No. 14 pick on a potential franchise left tackle of the future.
Christian Darrisaw checks all the boxes in this regard. The former Virginia Tech star has three years of solid college production under his belt and the way he’s developed in recent months from a technical standpoint is incredibly pleasing.
Darrisaw is powerful, he has the quick-footwork needed to deal with speedier edge rushers, and he possesses the range to keep opposing defensive ends at arm’s length on obvious passing downs.
Another standout feature of Darrisaw’s game is mobility. He can get out and block both on the move and at the second level should the opportunity arise, which would come in handy for the Vikings and their star running back Dalvin Cook, in particular.
Third Round (Pick No. 79)
Quincy Roche – DE/OLB (Miami)
Another area where the Vikings could use some additional depth is their pass-rush. Danielle Hunter’s season-ending injury left them struggling to generate any sort of pressure throughout the 2020 campaign and even though the Pro Bowler is set to make a full return to health, more will be needed if Mike Zimmer wants his team to get back into playoff contention next season.
Someone with the physical attributes of Quincy Roche would be a fantastic addition. The Miami edge rusher stood out considerably at the 2021 Senior Bowl to further boost his draft stock, displaying the sort of explosiveness and refined moves off the block that is normally a hot commodity across the league.
His athleticism is eye-catching, to put it mildly. What Roche lacks in length normally associated with NFL pass-rushers he more than makes up for with sheer grit and a relentless attitude on almost every down. These are traits Zimmer loves in his defensive players if his recent mindset regarding recruitment is any indication.
Whether Roche is best suited as a defensive end or outside linebacker is a moot point for Minnesota, who needs help in both areas with so much uncertainty surrounding the likes of Anthony Barr, who could potentially become a salary-cap casualty in the coming weeks.
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.
Fourth Round (Pick No. 120)
Janarius Robinson – DE (Florida State)
As stated previously, the Vikings simply have to get better in their pursuit of opposing quarterbacks in 2021. Bringing in more than one college prospect who can make an impact might make a considerable difference and Janarious Robinson represents a high-value pick at this juncture.
Although the Florida State product didn’t put up eye-catching numbers in his college career with the Seminoles, one could make a case for Robinson’s skills being more suited to the NFL. He has heavy hands and he loves being physical on the line of scrimmage, which is sure to cause a significant amount of difficulty on the edge for opposing offensive linemen.
Robinson has all the length and athleticism needed to make a real go of things in the NFL. Providing he can work out some potential problems such as his run support skills and getting off blocks once he gets to the pros, someone is going to have a real player on their hands.
Putting Robinson on a defensive line rotation that should have Danielle Hunter chomping at the bit following a year out through injury could transform fortunes in this important region of the field for Minnesota.
The Florida State prospect is a determined character who is sure to fit in well in the Vikings locker room and he certainly won’t be overawed by a substantial amount of reps from the word go.
Fourth Round (Pick No. 126)
Jaylen Twyman – DT (Pittsburgh)
Linval Joseph’s presence on the interior defensive line was sorely missed by the Vikings in 2020. This should be one of Minnesota’s top priorities during the offseason even with Michael Pierce returning to the fold after opting out of the 2020 campaign due to COVID-19 health concerns, which will be a major boost in no uncertain terms.
A prospect like Jaylen Twyman comes with tremendous upside and he might even go higher than the fourth round once the evaluation process comes to a conclusion.
The versatile defensive lineman was a force to be reckoned with during his time at Pittsburgh. But not participating in the 2020 season seems to have made him a relative afterthought.
This could mean somebody is going to get a real steal with Twyman, who specializes in getting pressure, and it’s something he does extremely well. The prospect recorded 10.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2019 to announce himself on the national stage, with the potential for further growth once he gets to the next level there for all to see.
If Twyman can become more consistent on running downs, then the sky is the limit. Putting him alongside Pierce could give the Vikings an exceptionally productive duo that will give the team’s hopes of a playoff return a huge shot in the arm.
Fourth Round (Pick No. 136)
Rodarius Williams – CB (Oklahoma State)
The Vikings might have found a starting outside cornerback duo for the foreseeable future in Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney.
The rookie duo had some flashes at various parts of the 2020 campaign despite the obvious growing pains that come with playing the position. So if both can make the necessary adjustments this offseason, it’s hard to envision a scenario where they cannot make even more of a difference next time around.
However, if Minnesota wants to get better in their secondary they need to find another exciting young corner that can excel covering in the slot. Rodarius Williams is an enticing prospect at this stage of the 2021 pre-draft process and he turned in a notable contribution at this year’s Senior Bowl to further enhance his claims.
The prospect is the older brother of Greedy Williams, who was drafted in the second round by the Cleveland Browns in 2019. His time at Oklahoma State saw him overcome his size deficiency to carve out an important role within the program and although it could be asking perhaps too much for the corner to work on the outside, this is something Minnesota doesn’t need.
Williams’ reactions need some work, as does his ability to jam up receivers on the line of scrimmage. These are traits that can easily be coached up at the next level and he should hear his name called at some point in the mid-rounds.
Fourth Round (Pick No. 144)
Caden Sterns – S (Texas)
Anthony Harris looked like he’d checked out from the Vikings long before the end of the 2020 season. The safety was lackluster at best down the stretch and there is absolutely no chance he’s offered an extension by Minnesota’s front office this year before hitting the free-agent market in March.
With Harrison Smith not getting any younger, the time may have come for the Vikings to start looking at viable long-term options on the backend with Harris inevitably moving on to pastures new.
Caden Sterns displayed enough during his college career at Texas to indicate he might be of some use and he possesses the sort of versatility that the Vikings should covet heavily.
Sterns relies heavily on his instincts, which are top-notch and they allow him to be around the ball in coverage consistently. His movements are fluid and the prospect also has nice quickness over short areas that enable him to provide a security blanket for outside cornerbacks during the times they get beat on a route.
One major concern where Sterns is concerned is from a physical standpoint. He’s struggled to make an impact in run support at the second level and he struggles to get off blocks in blitz packages, which could steer some teams away.
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However, allowing him to learn alongside an All-Pro with the outstanding career Smith has put together would do his chances of forging out a productive career in Minnesota the world of good if he ended up being drafted by them.