How Dalvin Tomlinson impacts the Vikings plans for the 2021 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
How does the recent addition of Dalvin Tomlinson to their defense impact what the Minnesota Vikings will do during this year’s NFL Draft?
The Minnesota Vikings made a bit of a splash in free agency by signing former New York Giants defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson on Monday.
Tomlinson adds another massive body to the Vikings defensive line, joining nose tackle Michael Pierce, who is ready to return to the field after opting out of the 2020 season.
With Tomlinson now sliding into the starting defensive line, how will Minnesota’s plan of attack change for the upcoming NFL Draft? At the very least, they should have some extra options throughout the early rounds of the draft to choose from following the addition of Tomlinson.
What will the Minnesota Vikings focus on in the NFL Draft after signing Dalvin Tomlinson?
Without a second-round pick, the Vikings are in a somewhat challenging spot when it comes to adding talent that will compete from day one. A consistent position for them to target in mock drafts has been interior defensive linemen, whether in the first round or in the middle of the draft.
Signing Tomlinson almost completely eliminates the need to target former Alabama defensive tackle Christian Barmore in the first round. But this doesn’t mean Minnesota will completely disregard the position altogether. The Vikings are always interested in adding bodies to the defensive line in the later stages of the draft, including last year’s selection of James Lynch.
Minnesota is still lacking a true pass-rushing interior lineman that can spell the two run-stuffers at the top of the depth chart. This is not to say Pierce and Tomlinson cannot rush the passer, but guys of their size need a few more breathers, and they will be most effective in the run game.
This years’ draft pool has plenty of interior rushers that the Vikings could still target, most notably Jaylen Twyman out of Pittsburgh. Lynch can certainly fill that void as well, but that’s a competition that will need to take place in training camp. It’s hard to just assume a late-round pick from a year ago is ready to assume that responsibility on his own.
While Minnesota might not target a defensive tackle, especially a run-stuffer, in the early stages of the 2021 draft, they should still look for some prospects to improve their depth. It is also worth noting that Tomlinson is only signed for two years, so he is not necessarily a long-term option.
Adding young players that can learn behind Tomlinson and Pierce and then replace them once their contracts are up is an investment worth considering for the Vikings. Tomlinson’s signing opens up the first round for Minnesota, but the rest should not change beyond that.
This is an exciting move that will help clean up a disastrous run defense from a year ago, but the Vikings will look at the future and the bigger picture. This is just the first step in building up the defensive line that fell off in 2020.