Vikings Draft 2021: Four-round mock draft – April version
By Adam Carlson
Fourth Round (Pick No. 134) – Tyree Gillespie, S – Missouri
Harrison Smith and Xavier Woods look to be the starting safeties for the Minnesota Vikings in 2021 but that doesn’t mean the team shouldn’t be looking for depth and competition for a potential long-term future at the position.
Tyree Gillespie is a bit of a thumper at safety. He excels at run support and is a capable tackler who isn’t afraid to initiate contact with ball carriers. His awareness helps him to be in the right place at the right time and gives him the chance to make big stops.
In 34 games played with Missouri, Gillespie racked up 146 total tackles with 12 pass defenses and two sacks. He won’t be a player that is asked to blitz a quarterback much under Mike Zimmer, but he would immediately be a special teams contributor with upside at safety.
He may not offer ball-hawking instincts or have the insane speed of some of the other safeties in this draft class, but Gillespie would raise the floor for the safety unit while providing some much important help to a struggling special teams unit.