Third-Round Pick No. 1 (57th Overall)
Michael Hall Jr. - DL (Ohio State)
Projected Trade: Vikings trade pick No. 42 to Tampa Bay for picks No. 57 and No. 89
The board did not line up with Minnesota's needs at pick 42, so they were able to trade back and recoup a third-round pick that was lost in the T.J. Hockenson trade. With the 57th overall selection, Michael Hall Jr. is the best defensive lineman available and an easy pick for Minnesota.
I would have liked to find an edge rusher in the second round, but the board simply did not fall that way. Instead, the Vikings get a standout defensive lineman in Hall, who had a strong week at the Senior Bowl.
Hall gives the Vikings some much-needed help up the middle as they desperately need to improve the run defense. A front line with Michael Hall, Harrison Phillips, and Jaquelin Roy has enough depth to survive a long season.
This knocks out another obvious need for the Vikings and opens up some flexibility later in the draft. They can take some swings on upside or even at positions with less of a need to fill out the roster with good players.
Hall is not going to be a flashy selection, but he will be an impactful one. The Vikings have to get better in the trenches if they want to have a better season in 2024.