6 offensive tackles the Vikings could select in the 2021 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
Rashawn Slater (Northwestern)
Measurements:
- Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 315 pounds
This is where things will start to get interesting for the Vikings. Penei Sewell probably won’t be available at pick No. 14, or even in a trade-up scenario, but Rashawn Slater might be next in line, and still available.
While most people around the NFL agree that Sewell is the top tackle in this year’s class, there are still plenty who believe Slater is either on par with Sewell or even better as a prospect. His guard-tackle flexibility would be a welcome addition to Minnesota as they figure out where to play Ezra Cleveland in 2021.
Slater was a stud at Northwestern, where he handled some of the best talents in the country, including the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, Chase Young, who was the top edge rusher in last year’s draft. Aside from his short arm length, there is nothing to scare away teams from Slater as a prospect.
His technique is clean for a player with little experience at the college level, and his athleticism is going to make him an All-Pro caliber player once he finds his rhythm in the NFL. If he is still available at pick No. 14, the Vikings should not hesitate to turn their card in with his name on it.
To go even further, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Vikings to trade up into the top-10 to secure him ahead of the New York Giants and Los Angeles Chargers, who could both be in the market for help in the trenches.