5 wide receivers the Vikings should target in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Luke Parrish
A.T. Perry (Wake Forest)
On the second day of the draft, the Vikings could still find capable playmakers. Wake Forest junior A.T. Perry is a problem on the football field for all the right reasons. The 6-foot-5 receiver towers over his opponents and stretches the field vertically.
The big-bodied target is averaging over 17 yards per catch over the course of his collegiate career and really broke out for the Demon Deacons in 2021. He caught 71 passes for 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns to stamp his name on the 2023 watch list.
Perry is not going to be the speedy burner that we see from some of the other prospects, given his size, but the production is off the charts. TCU’s Quentin Johnson, considered to be a first-round prospect, projects similarly to Perry.
Spending a first-round pick on a wide receiver that wins on sheer size and strength does not always pay off compared to the guys that have the skill set and athleticism to produce in the NFL. In that case, waiting until the second round to take that build of receiver is the safer choice and the direction I would lean.
Perry would give Minnesota a reliable frame over the middle on short passing situations and a perimeter freak that can win up top when the offense needs a spark. He also projects as a strong red zone threat that can rack up touchdowns while Justin Jefferson continues to garner all the attention down near the end zone.