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

Kei’Trel Clark – CB (Louisville)

Cornerback is a very high need for the Vikings this offseason, and one that could definitely be addressed early in the 2023 NFL Draft. They have two second-year guys coming back who barely played in year one, and Cameron Dantzler.

That is pretty much it. Sure, they may resign Duke Shelley and Patrick Peterson, but right now the cupboard is pretty bare.

A cornerback who stood out all week at the East-West Shrine Bowl and in the game itself was Kei’Trel Clark from Louisville. Clark stands just 5-foot-10 and 179 pounds but plays much bigger. He reacts very quickly, stays low in his backpedal, and is a very willing tackler.

During the week of practices, these traits were on display as Clark blew up some screens, was sticky in coverage, and made plays in the passing lanes. One coach called him insanely competitive. That’s the type of cornerback the Vikings should be looking for. An aggressive player who doesn’t back down from anyone.

Clark likely bumped up his stock a round or two and now has to securely be on the Vikings’ radar. If they don’t go with a cornerback in round 1, he’s definitely a player to watch in the mid-rounds to join the Purple.

Jordan Mims – RB (Fresno State)

The Vikings could be in the market for a running back in the 2023 NFL Draft. If they move on from both Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, they’ll need at least one more to add to the rotation and Mims was impressive in all the practices and the game down in Las Vegas.

Mims displayed great burst and acceleration on his six carries for 40 yards in the game itself. He also demonstrated soft hands, hauling in a couple of passes for 27 yards. He accounted for 67 of the East team’s total 109 yards. So on a day that wasn’t overly impressive for offense, Mims was the one exception.

Mims is a decent-sized back standing 6-feet and weighing 205 pounds. He produced like crazy as a senior racking up 1,370 yards with an impressive 18 touchdowns. He also caught 21 balls for 126 and another score. Mims showed all the traits necessary to be a featured back in the NFL, the question now is just when will he come off the board?

The Vikings likely wouldn’t target a runner until the draft’s third day. Mims performed well enough at the East-West Shrine Bowl to be an early pick that day, possibly a fourth-rounder.