5 prospects the Vikings could reach for with their 2021 first-round pick
By Nik Edlund
Joseph Ossai – DE (Texas)
Edge rusher is one of the Vikings’ biggest needs as they approach the 2021 NFL Draft. They do get a huge boost with Danielle Hunter coming back, but there is nothing but question marks across from him on the line. D.J. Wonnum did flash plenty of pass rush ability, but the jury is out on whether or not he can be the starter. Ifeadi Odenigbo failed in his chance as a starter in 2020 and should be relegated to a situational role as he had in 2019.
The Vikings will be looking at a slew of pass rushers as the draft approaches and there’s a chance they could have their pick of the litter with the 14th choice. Players like Kwity Paye and Gregory Rousseau are popular mocks to the Vikings at this choice, but one guy they could reach for is Texas’ Joseph Ossai.
Ossai is an extremely talented football player. He’s had a ton of production in his career with 11.5 career sacks and 30 tackles for a loss. He’s explosive off the ball and closes in on quarterbacks very quickly. The Vikings could definitely fall in love with those numbers and his tape, but there’s one major hiccup that would make him a reach over more proven and natural scheme fits like Rosseau and Paye.
Ossai has bounced back and forth between linebacker and defensive end in his career and converting him strictly to a player who lines up with his hand in the dirt would take some time. The athletic ability and talent are there, but the Vikings would be taking a huge gamble, expecting him to produce while learning to become a full-time defensive end and all the nuances that go along with that.
The Minnesota Vikings would be much better off going with a player who is a more natural fit as a 4-3 defensive end at pick fourteen and if they do covet Ossai, then they need to trade back a few spots.