Top 10 sleepers for the Vikings heading into the 2023 NFL Draft

Illinois RB Chase Brown
Illinois RB Chase Brown / Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
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Minnesota Vikings
Auburn EDGE Colby Wooden / Michael Chang/GettyImages

Colby Wooden - EDGE (Auburn)

2022 Stats: 

  • 45 tackles
  • 11.5 tackles for loss
  • 6 sacks
  • 3 forced fumbles
  • 2 fumble recoveries

Colby Wooden is an incredibly agile and dynamic athlete who boasts some of the finest hands in the 2023 draft class. His aggressive approach to utilizing his hands, combined with his innate instincts in taking on blockers, make him an exceedingly technical player with a formidable motor.

When it comes to defending the run, Wooden is able to close in quickly and forcefully, possessing the necessary strength to hold his position at the point of attack. He has a great deal of potential as a run defender, as evidenced by his ability to absorb contact and anchor down.

Wooden effectively employs a powerful push-pull technique to dislodge blocks and create clear lanes to the ball carrier. His raw power and arm length enable him to successfully compromise angles and maintain space in one-on-one matchups.

Additionally, he demonstrates a commanding presence as a pass rusher, utilizing a diverse set of rush actions to beat blocks and disrupt offenses. Wooden has the potential to be an absolute steal in the middle rounds of the NFL Draft, given his ability to singlehandedly dismantle an opposing team's strategy.