Vikings send massive message to Kirk Cousins on Day 2 of the 2021 draft
By Adam Patrick
The Minnesota Vikings raised some eyebrows on Friday when they selected former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
For the second day in a row, fans of the Minnesota Vikings had to wait a while before it was their favorite team’s turn to get on the clock during the 2021 NFL Draft.
But the wait was certainly worth it as the Vikings decided to use the No. 66 pick in the third round on former Texas A&M quarterback Kellen Mond. Minnesota might have just begun the countdown clock for Kirk Cousins’ eventual exit with their selection of Mond.
At the very least, Mond will be a great No. 2 option for the Vikings next season. Then after his rookie year, there’s a real possibility that Minnesota could go with him as their starting quarterback over Cousins in 2022.
Minnesota Vikings add a bunch of talent in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft
After picking Mond, the Vikings turned their attention to the defensive side of the ball with their next selection of the night. With the No 78 pick in the third round, Minnesota went with former North Carolina linebacker Chazz Surratt.
Surratt is a solid defender who should help make up for the losses of linebackers Eric Wilson and Todd Davis this year. He should be able to make an immediate impact on the Vikings’ special teams next season.
With their next selection in the third round (pick No. 86), Minnesota went back to improving their offensive line and grabbed former Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis. During his college career at Ohio State, the 6-foot-3, 315-pound Davis was a two-time First-Team AP All-American.
The Vikings finished up the night by selecting former Pittsburgh defensive end Patrick Jones with their fourth and final pick of the third round. Jones and his 6-foot-4, 261-pound frame racked up 17.5 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, and four forced fumbles during his last two seasons at Pitt.
So far, Minnesota should be pretty happy with the talent they’ve been able to add in this year’s draft, especially to their offensive line.
The Vikings will enter Day 3 of the 2021 draft on Saturday with a total of six more picks in the final four rounds. If their selections are half as good as they’ve been so far this year, Minnesota fans should have a lot to smile about.