Vikings 2023 Draft: Seven-round post-Super Bowl mock draft

Fourth-Round (Pick No. 119)

Byron Young – DL (Alabama)

Dating back to the Mike Zimmer regime, the Vikings have relied on defensive tackles willing to take up double teams, stay in their gaps and allow the second level of the defense to make plays. While it was effective during the peak of the Zimmer era, the Vikings have fallen off thanks to the mediocre talent and bad draft picks.

There’s no guarantee that Byron Young would fix that trend, but it would be a step toward giving the Vikings a disruptor in the middle at the 119th overall pick.

Young didn’t have much production with just four sacks last season, but he logged a 12.4 percent win rate on pass-rushing snaps. With an 85.3 pass-rushing grade in true passing sets, Young is good enough to generate pressure which should create more opportunities for the rest of Minnesota’s front.

Young could play on the inside or line up as a down lineman on either side in a 3-4 scheme but the Vikings need someone to make the quarterback sweat and Young is a good enough prospect to do just that.