6 prospects rising up the Vikings draft board after the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine
By Nik Edlund
Prospect No. 4
Braden Fiske - DT (Florida State)
Quinyon Mitchell was mentioned above as a guy who has nailed the draft season process so far, and Braden Fiske is another one. Fiske was a standout at the Senior Bowl destroying blockers in drills, and even playing for the other team when asked to do so the morning of the bowl game.
The dude's got a great blend of speed and power and has a motor that never hits empty. It seems he can do no wrong, and he did that at the Combine.
Fiske weighed in at 6-foot-4 and 292 pounds. He has 31-inch arms and showed off his power by tossing up 225 pounds 26 times.
He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds and posted a 33.5-inch vertical jump and a 9-foot-9 broad jump showcasing that lower body explosion. He looked good in the positional drills as well, showing good lateral agility and a mean initial punch.
The only issue when it comes to Fiske and the Vikings is how he fits in this scheme. He's always played a three-technique penetrating style at Florida State, and that isn't something Brian Flores's defense usually uses.
He'll have to be bumped out to defensive end and learn a new position, but there's nothing about this guy to make one think he can't excel in that new role.
Fiske was once seen as a day-three pick, but that now seems silly. He's likely going to go very early in the second round and even has a chance to sneak his way into the back end of the first round.
He's a high-energy, productive player who is going to make some franchise very happy, and hopefully, that franchise is the Vikings.