5 prospects rising up the Vikings 2023 draft board after the East-West Shrine Bowl

Xazavian Valladay – RB (Arizona State)

If certain cuts are made the Vikings will definitely be drafting a running back in 2023. The question is when and who.

One guy who made a name for himself, and certainly raised his stock on Minnesota’s draft board was running back Xazavian Valladay from Arizona State.

Valladay was the primary workhorse for the West team, rushing 13 times for 76 yards. He displayed good vision and burst, and his power was also on display as he lowered his shoulder running through defenders for extra yardage. He also caught one pass, showing he can be a multi-purpose weapon out of the backfield.

Seeing Valladay excel in this game shouldn’t have been a surprise. “X” ran for nearly 4500 yards in his collegiate career and racked up 35 touchdowns.

He’s a bigger back standing 6-feet and weighing just about 200 pounds. The Vikings could be in the market for a bruiser as they have a couple of speed guys currently on the roster in Ty Chandler and Kene Nwangwu.

X could be the third head of this potential monster, giving Minnesota three solid options on the ground for 2023.