Boye Mafe – EDGE (Minnesota)
The Vikings are likely to take a cornerback at pick No. 12. One reason for that is because it’s their biggest need, but the second reason is that their other big need could have some very nice options available when they are on the clock in the second round.
Minnesota is switching to a base 3-4 front and will need guys who can rush the quarterback. There’s a pretty big clump of excellent edge rushers who have late first or early second-round grades and the Vikings could see some very good value on the board. One player they’ll hope to see still available is the Gopher from their very own backyard in Minnesota, Boye Mafe.
Mafe is a violent pass rusher. He uses his hands extremely well to shed blocks and has a high-end motor that explodes off the ball and pursues the quarterback with reckless abandon. Mafe had an excellent Senior Bowl week and got plenty of teams looking his way.
He followed that up with a rockstar performance at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine, posting a 4.53-second time in the 40-yard dash, a 38-inch vertical jump, and a 125-inch broad jump. He did all this weighing in at 261 pounds and standing 6-foot-4.
Mafe was a player who got better every season in college finishing with his best season, with 34 tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, and seven sacks.
He’d be an explosive complement opposite Danielle Hunter, and a player who would be an instant fan favorite, coming from the Golden Gophers’ program. If he’s there at pick No. 46, it would be a no-brainer type of selection for the Vikings.