4 draft prospects Brian Flores might want for the Vikings defense in 2023

Trenton Simpson – LB (Clemson)

As much as it hurts to say it, the end of the Eric Kendricks era in Minnesota is coming sooner than we all hope. Kendricks brought stability to the inside linebacker position for years for the Vikings, but it has become apparent that he is not the same elite linebacker he once was.

While he is still serviceable, Minnesota needs to find his successor, as Kendricks’ large 2023 cap hit could put him in danger of being cut.

With the Vikings now in need of linebacker help, the first place they should look is at former Clemson linebacker Trenton Simpson.

Almost every draft scout ranks Simpson as one of, if not the best, inside linebackers in this year’s draft pool. He is a consensus first-round talent, and he could be just what Minnesota needs to ensure that the torch is passed successfully from Kendricks.

Simpson is a massive player standing at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, but he possess sub 4.40 40-yard dash speed that makes him a wrecking ball on the field.

He’s a do it all linebacker that does well in coverage, and with Flores’ aggressive scheme he can be a lot to handle as a pass rusher. With Brian Asamoah as his running mate, the combo of Simpson and Asamoah could cause major problems for years to come.