Fourth-Round Pick No. 1 (109th Overall)
Brenden Rice - WR (USC)
Wide receiver is a need the Vikings are likely to address in the draft this year and probably in free agency too. K.J. Osborn is probably going to a new team, and Brandon Powell is a free agent.
While Powell is expected back, the depth behind him, Justin Jefferson, and Jordan Addison needs an upgrade. So why not upgrade it with the son of an NFL legend?
Brenden Rice is the son of Jerry Rice and has had a nice college career. He started at Colorado and then transferred to USC as a junior.
The 6-foot-2, 212 pass-catcher hauled in 111 passes in his career for 1,821 yards and 21 touchdowns. While those may not be staggering numbers, what sticks out is his last season at USC, where he caught 45 passes and found the end zone 12 times.
Rice has great speed and can vertically stretch the field. He's also a YAC monster who's extremely hard to bring down after the ball is in his hands.
Being the son of Jerry Rice, he's a natural hands catcher and knows how to use his big frame to box out a defender in jump-ball situations.
Rice's production consistency is one of his biggest concerns, as he often had quiet weeks and then a huge game. That's something he'll need to work on, but he's loaded with talent, has the bloodlines, and will be a fan favorite from day one.
What's more important is that he'll form a dangerous trio with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.