Vikings Draft 2021: Seven-round pre-free agency mock draft

Third Round (Pick No. 79)

Marlon Tuipulotu  – DT (USC)

Thanks to the six-week vacation Yannick Ngakoue spent with Minnesota last season, the Vikings don’t have a draft pick in the second round this year. But they do have two in the third round and Mike Zimmer’s reconstruction of the defensive line will continue with the team’s first selection in round three.

With Michael Pierce returning next season, the Vikings go with Marlon Tuipulotu to plug in at their other defensive tackle spot. Tuipulotu’s underrated pass-rushing abilities and his run-stopping skills would fit in nicely right next to Pierce in the middle of Minnesota’s defensive line.

Third Round (Pick No. 91)

Paulson Adebo – CB (Stanford)

With Zimmer still the Vikings head coach, don’t be surprised if they draft a cornerback before this selection in the third round. Zimmer is like a kid in a candy store when it comes to picking corners in the early rounds of the draft each year.

For the 2021 draft, the first corner Minnesota will select is Paulson Adebo. Remember, the Vikings added Cameron Dantzler in the third round last year, and he went on to start 10 games as a rookie.

Something similar could be in the future for Adebo depending on how quickly he’s able to adjust to the speed of playing in the NFL. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound defensive back would be great for Minnesota to pair with Dantzler as the team’s two outside corners and then they could shift Jeff Gladney inside as their slot cornerback.