Which prospects could fall to the Minnesota Vikings during the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft?
The Minnesota Vikings hold the No. 14 pick in the first round of the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft, and as the draft approaches, the picture of who will be on the board when they are on the clock is beginning to take shape.
The Vikings should have options on the board that can help their offensive line like Christian Darrisaw or Alijah Vera-Tucker, or they could go with a pass rusher like Kwity Paye or Jaelan Phillips. Those seem to be the common and most likely options to be there, but the draft is always unpredictable, and there’s a chance a player they aren’t expecting to be available will still be on the board.
Many factors can go into why a player may slide down the board. Perhaps teams decide to address one position rather than another, or an unexpected selection can also push players down further than many expect. If the cookie crumbles the right way, Minnesota could see an elite talent available to them in the first round, and they would thank their lucky stars that the draft unfolded the way it did.
Who are some prospects that could fall to pick No. 14 that would be huge scores for the Vikings?
Jaylen Waddle – WR (Alabama)
There are three elite wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft and the chances are quite good that one falls to the Vikings at pick No. 14.
Ja’Marr Chase won’t be that guy, as there’s no way he slips beyond the No. 7 pick. DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle could though and either would provide a huge value for Minnesota.
Wide receiver isn’t even close to being the Vikings’ biggest need this year. Improving their offensive line and their pass rush are bigger priorities. Despite having Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson though, receiver is still a need because they do have to improve the depth, and find a pass-catcher who can be the future No. 2 option on the team.
Waddle or Smith could both be that guy and either could slide down the board for different reasons.
Waddle is an explosive playmaker that, when his top speed is engaged, no one on the field can catch him. He would be an explosive addition to Minnesota’s offense and he could also be a dynamite returner. The issue that could cause him to tumble is his ankle injury and concerns about his recovery having a long-term impact on his overall speed and burst.
Smith owned the 2021 National Championship game and he is an established route-runner with great speed and very sticky hands. His slight frame is his biggest knock, but the guy is one hell of a football player, and he can also make an impact on special teams.
If teams picking early opt to address the offensive line instead of a wide receiver, that could cause one of these elite pass catchers to fall into the Vikings’ laps.
Penei Sewell – OT (Oregon)
As the draft gets closer and closer, the steam that Penei Sewell could tumble down the board keeps getting thicker and thicker. While it could just be the draft scuttlebutt we hear every year, or maybe, there’s actually more to it, and Sewell actually makes it to the Vikings in the first round.
If he does get to Minnesota, the team should waste little time in making the selection. Sewell is a rare left tackle prospect who only comes around once a decade. Sewell is a beast of a man with a great wingspan.
He’s also unbelievably athletic for being so large and he is an extremely smart player who can adjust his blocks on the go in addition to being very cognizant of what a defense is doing.
The one minor knock on him is that maybe his technique isn’t flawless, but that is a tiny ding on basically a perfect prospect. If he does fall, it’ll be due to a case of overanalysis, if anything.
Sewell would start at left tackle for the Vikings from day one. Ezra Cleveland would be back to right guard and all the team would need to find one guard who could start over Dakota Dozier with their remaining nine draft picks.
This would make Minnesota’s offensive line overhaul complete and put the team in a prime position to make a very deep playoff run next season.
Patrick Surtain II – CB (Alabama)
Even with the uncertain fate of Jeff Gladney, it’s doubtful the Vikings would take a cornerback at pick No. 14. They did bring in Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander during free agency this year, so even if Gladney was going to play for sure, how much he’d see the field in 2021 was already up in the air.
That being said, if Patrick Surtain II fell to the 14th pick, Minnesota would have to seriously consider taking him. This guy is SEC battle-tested, he has ideal size and length, and he has the bloodlines to be a shutdown corner in today’s NFL.
It’s hard to imagine a rookie corner getting a lot of play in year one with the talent at the top of the Vikings’ depth chart. But after realizing that Peterson and Alexander are only signed to one-year deals, drafting a guy who can potentially be the No. 1 corner in 2022, makes more sense than at first blush.
If Surtain were to fall to the Vikings, a certain chain of events would probably have to unfold first. The Atlanta Falcons would have to go with a quarterback or tight end, the Carolina Panthers would need to decide to upgrade the offensive line first, and the Dallas Cowboys would need to either take Jaycee Horn or succumb to Jerry Jones’ desire to always take an offensive player.
Those decisions would put Surtain on the board at pick No. 14 and give Minnesota a chance to take a talent that has no right being available at that point.
Rashawn Slater – OL (Northwestern)
Slater is an interesting prospect and one who could go as high as the fifth choice overall or tumble all the way to the Vikings at pick No. 14.
He’d be an ideal fit for Minnesota. The guy is very athletic and strong, and he can play both left guard or left tackle. He’s a day one starter and he would be the team’s second-best offensive lineman the second after his name is called.
For Slater to make it to the Vikings, a few key things would probably have to happen. The Cincinnati Bengals would need to choose a receiver or Kyle Pitts over a lineman, and the Miami Dolphins would have to as well. Two teams also in the offensive line market are the Panthers and Cowboys, but they both have needs at corner as well, and they could choose to go that route instead.
The last major hurdle for Slater actually falling to Minnesota would be the Los Angeles Chargers. While they want to improve the protection in front of Justin Herbert, they could deem Christian Darrisaw a better fit, or surprise and take another weapon like DeVonta Smith. That would put Slater in the Vikings’ laps, making their draft day dreams come true.
Slater would likely compete with Ezra Cleveland to be the Vikings’ left tackle for next season. Whether the rookie would win that battle or not, Minnesota’s offensive line would be greatly improved with his selection.
Justin Fields – QB (Ohio State)
A few weeks ago, thinking Justin Fields could fall all the way to pick No. 14 seemed like a pipe dream. While it still remains very unlikely to happen, if one quarterback does fall down the board, it’s probably going to be Fields.
For whatever reason, Fields has been getting a bunch of negative press lately. Maybe it’s just teams starting rumors to get him to fall to them, but as the draft approaches, Fields has been scrutinized and criticized far more than any other quarterback prospect.
There have been questions raised about his desire to win, his throwing motion, and him only throwing to his first read. All of these concerns have been proven false, yet it feels like Fields could be in for a draft day tumble.
This might be how a Fields tumble could happen. Lawrence and Wilson go one and two as expected, the San Francisco 49ers would then take Mac Jones, and the Falcons would go with Kyle Pitts instead of a quarterback. The Detroit Lions would then have to go with a receiver over Fields and the Panthers are no longer in the quarterback market after trading for Sam Darnold.
The Denver Broncos could choose Trey Lance instead, and the Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Chargers aren’t expected to take a quarterback. So the only thing that might prevent Fields from making it to pick No. 14 would be a team trading up to snipe him.
Fields would be a huge score for the Vikings. He has a very strong arm and he can make all the NFL throws. He can also make plays with his legs and has the grit, determination, and fight to will his team back into games.
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Minnesota would also have the benefit of not rushing him onto the field as he could learn behind Kirk Cousins for a season or two before taking over for the long term.