2023 Vikings Mock Draft: What Minnesota needs 4 games into the 2022 season

Second-Round Pick

Rakim Jarrett – WR (Maryland)

Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn are both good receivers that can shine when given opportunities but the Vikings desperately need another true threat that can create when defenses focus on Justin Jefferson.

Thielen is also aging, and his production has dropped significantly in recent years. Adding a player like Rakim Jarrett, a star playmaker for Maryland, could really open the offense up for Kevin O’Connell.

Jarrett plays out of the slot primarily and does an excellent job of creating after the catch. Despite being on the shorter side for wide receivers, he is compact and strong with the ball in his hands. He does well as a short-area receiver that extends plays in space but can also stretch the field and get open quickly over the middle.

Minnesota has struggled at times when Jefferson is shut down because they lack playmakers in the passing game. Philadelphia and Detroit both did a wonderful job of making someone else step up, which did not happen until the fourth quarter of the Detroit game in Week 3.

Rakim Jarrett would be a nice complementary piece for Jefferson in the future while also allowing K.J. Osborn to grow into Thielen’s current role as the WR2.

If the Vikings are not going to land a wide receiver in the first round, Jarrett seems like a safe bet to be available on Day 2. Quentin Johnson (TCU) and Jordan Addison (USC) could both be options at the end of the first round as well.