4 current NFL Draft prospects that could fix the Minnesota Vikings

Which 2022 NFL Draft prospects could fix the Minnesota Vikings?

The Minnesota Vikings are off to a disappointing start to the season and sit near the bottom of the league with a 1-3 record. Even with a positive point differential and several close games up to this point, there are major concerns with the future of this team.

Age is not on their side defensively, especially in the struggling secondary. Harrison Smith signed an extension prior to the season, but at 32-years-old, his days are numbered. Patrick Peterson is also not a long-term solution at cornerback.

The pass defense has been pretty horrendous for Minnesota so far this season and that is not going to improve without major changes to the personnel. Cameron Dantzler has looked solid in limited playing time this season and he could be the only long-term option in the secondary.

Offensively, the only concerns for the Vikings still reside along the offensive line. That group has done pretty well this season and will be getting Christian Darrisaw at some point in the near future.

With some holes to fill before next season, which 2022 NFL Draft prospects could fix the Vikings?

Kaiir Elam – CB (Florida)

The biggest problem facing the Vikings right now is their lack of playmakers in the secondary. Their pass coverage has been a mess so far this season which is not typical of Mike Zimmer’s defenses, so they could be in the market for a cornerback early in next year’s draft.

With a history of first-round cornerbacks, look for the Vikings to look heavily into Florida’s Kaiir Elam. Elam is one of the top corners in the nation and could potentially challenge LSU’s Derek Stingley as the top corner selected in the draft. His mix of length and physicality is exactly what the Vikings need on the outside.

Kaiir Elam uses his physicality well without being a penalty machine and does a good job of making plays on the ball. He’s started at Florida for three seasons and has 24 pass breakups and six interceptions in that span. All he does is make plays on the perimeter.

There is a good chance Elam finishes the season as a top-10 player in the 2022 NFL Draft, but it really all depends on how the quarterbacks pan out. If the Vikings find themselves in the top of the first round, Elam would be an incredible option.

Kyle Hamilton – S (Notre Dame)

At first look, it would be odd for the Vikings to take a safety in the first round of the draft when they have very obvious holes elsewhere. Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton offers so much more than your typical safety and would be a huge asset to this defense moving forward.

In fact, the Vikings probably won’t even finish the season bad enough to be in range for Hamilton as he projects as a top-5 pick as things stand. He does everything you can ask for out of a safety and he could be the perfect replacement for Harrison Smith.

Hamilton is incredible coming downhill to stop the run and as an in-the-box weapon on defense. When he drops into coverage, he is arguably even better. It is not often that you see a safety start the season as a top-5 prospect and finish the season in the same range, but that appears to be the case for Hamilton so far.

The Vikings need to add playmakers to their defense, and with clear needs in the secondary and at linebacker, adding a versatile piece like Kyle Hamilton would do wonders. Imagine two Harrison Smiths on the back end of the defense, but with one of them being 6-foot-4 and running like a cornerback.

Aidan Hutchinson – EDGE (Michigan)

Everson Griffen has been a fun story for the Vikings so far this season as an extra pass rusher to help Danielle Hunter but to put it simply, the Vikings do not have much to offer at defensive end. Hunter is back to his old self, but he does not have any help on the opposite side.

Aidan Hutchinson has been on a tear for Michigan this season and is arguably the best edge rusher behind Kayvon Thibodeaux. In five games this season, Hutchinson has 4.5 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss with one forced fumble. He has been a dangerous weapon off the edge for Michigan.

Hutchinson can slide inside the tackle to help against the run or line up outside and use his athleticism to set the edge or rush the passer. He brings a ton of power but blends it with quickness off the snap and a good rip and dip that allows him to fight through the tackles.

Minnesota needs someone to help pressure the quarterback that can take some of the stress off of Hunter. Hutchinson is trending up each week and would be a fun fit next to Hunter in this defense.

Tyler Linderbaum – OC (Iowa)

Once Christian Darrisaw gets into the mix at left tackle, the Vikings will hopefully have a strong offensive line that can produce at a high level consistently. However, Garrett Bradbury has had a lot of ups and downs in his three years as the starting center, and replacing him with another high draft pick should be an option.

Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum brings a similar skillset as Bradbury as an athletic pulling blocker who can set up blocks in the second and third levels of the defense. His quickness gets him into position to clear out big runs and beat defenders to the edge when pulling.

Linderbaum is easily the top center prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft and his athleticism will allow him to play anywhere along the interior of the line. The Vikings have some stability at their guard spots now but having that luxury with Linderbaum is exciting.

I think taking a center in the first round would be a bit of a reach with the other needs this team has on defense, but Tyler Linderbaum is a can’t-miss prospect that could elevate the play of the offense. Kirk Cousins is lethal when his offensive line protects him, so why not go all out to make that happen?