Vikings 2022 Draft: Five-round post-Senior Bowl mock draft
By Dean Jones
Third-Round Pick:
Chad Muma – LB (Wyoming)
Eric Kendricks isn’t getting any younger. With sacrifices upcoming for the Vikings, one cannot rule out the All-Pro linebacker being traded this offseason.
That might sound foolish from the outside looking in, but financial restrictions dictate something has to give, and unless another team is willing to take on quarterback Kirk Cousins’ mammoth contract, another established veteran will have to go.
Regardless of whether Kendricks is around or not, if a player with Chad Muma’s credentials is still on the board at this juncture, he could be the best player available. The Wyoming product is a brute force manning the second level, providing physicality and ferociousness that will make him an instant fan favorite wherever he ends up.
There is an infectious enthusiasm to Muma’s approach that makes him a hard guy to root against. He is an explosive sideline-to-sideline presence that accumulated 142 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks over his final year in college.
Muma has few flaws in his game. Even though the prospect doesn’t possess what would be described as elite speed, he more than makes up for this with a high football IQ that enables him to be around the action consistently.
If the Vikings went with Muma here, it would give them an heir apparent to Kendricks in the event he does leave the organization at some stage.