Which college prospects drafted by the Minnesota Vikings could have the biggest impact in 2021?
The Minnesota Vikings got themselves a great haul of college prospects from this year’s NFL Draft. They led the league, along with the Dallas Cowboys and Carolina Panthers, with 11 selections over the three-day period, which should give their roster some high-impact players and improved depth as they look to make a playoff return in 2021.
Much will obviously depend on how this year’s class plays out. Minnesota played their board extremely well and managed to get plenty of bang for their buck, so to speak. But one cannot say with any guarantee that this was a home run draft until we see their picks out on the field making a contribution.
Some will be counted on more than others next season, which is a high stake one for both head coach Mike Zimmer and general manager Rick Spielman. The Vikings don’t appear to be that far away from being hugely competitive despite their 7-9 record in 2020. So how these rookies perform will go a long way to determining whether playoff football is a possibility or not next season.
With that being said, let’s look at the four rookies that could make the biggest impact for Minnesota in 2021.
Wyatt Davis – OG
- Third Round – Pick No. 86
The Vikings got themselves a real steal when they selected Wyatt Davis in the third round of this year’s draft.
A formidable guard at Ohio State throughout his college career, the blocking prospect was projected by some draft analysts to come off the board in the second round at some stage. So Minnesota getting him in the third round represents a ton of value, providing his transition to the next level is a smooth one.
Davis has the potential to be the dominant interior blocker Minnesota is looking for. There is nothing to suggest he cannot be a plug-and-play starter in Week 1 if the Vikings don’t get too cute and think one of their underperforming veteran players is the answer.
The protection has to get better for Minnesota in 2021 and getting someone like Davis on board is going to help enormously in a real problem area.
Christian Darrisaw – OT
- First Round – No. 23 overall
Things could not have gone much better for the Vikings in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Not only did they trade back to acquire more in the way of draft capital, but they also had one of the best tackle prospects fall into their laps at pick No. 23.
Christian Darrisaw was a commanding force on the blindside during his time at Virginia Tech and there is a good chance he can carry on this momentum in the professional ranks.
He has all the length, athleticism, and size normally associated with a productive left tackle at the next level and although there might be some initial growing pains, this is a potential 10-year starter with a ton of upside.
The Vikings didn’t draft Darrisaw in the first round so that he could sit on the sidelines. He’ll be thrown in the deep end in Week 1 and if he can hit the ground running opposite Brian O’Neill, it will give Minnesota a bookend presence at the tackle position they’ve been sorely lacking for some time.
Providing Darrisaw lives up to his potential, the Vikings may get the steal of the first round and someone that could solidify the position after deciding to let Riley Reiff go this offseason as part of some significant cost-cutting measures.
Patrick Jones II – DE
- Third Round – No. 90 overall
Getting more pressure on opposing quarterbacks is going to be crucial for the Vikings if they want to make a return to the playoffs next season. This was once considered an area of real strength, but the departure of Everson Griffen and the long-term injury to Danielle Hunter made things extremely difficult and the whole defense suffered last time out.
This should revert to type next season. Hunter is coming back to health, the Vikings now boast Michael Pierce and Dalvin Tomlinson on the interior, and in Patrick Jones II they acquired a dynamic edge rusher capable of taking over a game.
Jones is a high-motor individual that has the physicality and strength to match. Whether he will get the starting job or not remains to be seen, but if the former Pittsburgh star does do enough for a starting gig, then there should be plenty of space to work thanks to the presence of three dominant veterans on the defensive front.
The incoming rookie accumulated nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss during his final season at Pitt in 2020. Placing him opposite Hunter on the line of scrimmage is a mouth-watering prospect and one Minnesota should consider from Day 1 given the other options available on the depth chart.
Camryn Bynum – S
- Fourth Round – No. 125 overall
Anthony Harris departed in free agency as expected, eventually signing a one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. Although the Vikings made a potentially shrewd pickup in Xavier Woods, getting a talented young prospect to boost depth was something high on the team’s list of priorities during the draft.
Cameron Bynum spent a large part of his college career at California operating as a cornerback, but Minnesota is sure to explore the possibility of moving him to the backend at the earliest possible opportunity. This will give the prospect time to adjust during OTAs and training camp with a view to possibly becoming a key part of the rotation in Week 1.
Bynum might lack the sort of top-end speed that is normally associated with productive NFL cornerbacks. However, he has bundles of athleticism that could dictate safety as his best position in the pros and there will be no better security blanket to call upon than Harrison Smith if he eventually earns some playing time as expected.
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Smith is not getting any younger, so the sooner Minnesota finds a long-term solution on the backend of their secondary, the better. Bynum might not have a huge starting role as a rookie, but there should be some opportunities to make a name for himself.