Mock Draft Rebuild Series: Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are in a very tight spot, especially considering there are a lot of question marks around a lot of key areas. For starters, will Kirk Cousins be back as the Quarterback? If so, how much do the Vikings spend on him? He is currently an Unrestricted Free Agent, and they could easily sign him to a 1-2 year deal if they believe the top options at QB won’t be there when they select in the first round. Do they risk letting him walk, and not hit on the top options? If so, JJ McCarthy or Bo Nix could be an option in the first round, or second round if they want to be patient. Not to mention, there are holes at almost every level on both sides of the ball. This draft is crucial for the Vikings, as they still have premiere talent at certain positions, such as Justin Jefferson and TJ Hockenson. If the Vikings want to be competitive this season, there are things that need to be done, and it can start with a mock draft such as this.
As always, we will be using the PFF (Pro Football Focus) Mock Draft Simulator to assist us in this draft, as well as any PFF rankings that come with the upcoming class of rookies. Lets begin:
Round 1, Pick 11
The Vikings are going to have to sit on their hands and wait, and see if one of the top options at Quarterback begins to fall, like Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels. If so, the Vikings could trade up and get a franchise cornerstone, but that remains to be seen. For the sake of this draft, we will plan on them resigning Kirk Cousins, and building around him to make his last few seasons in the NFL effective ones. One of the things that the Vikings have lacked for the last few seasons is a consistent, dominant defense. They can address that issue right here in the first round.
Pick: Byron Murphy II, Defensive Tackle, Texas
Standing at 6’1, 308 lbs, Murphy has the size to contend on the interior of the line for years to come. Murphy also exploded as a pass rusher last season for Texas with 6 sacks 3 QB hits, and 36 QB hurries. Murphy graded out as the 2nd best out of 883 Defensive Lineman in the country last year, per PFF. Muprhy is stout in the run game, as well as growing as a pass rusher. This pick would allow the Vikings to build around him in the years to come. Even if Murphy isn’t there when the Vikings pick, I believe they would go defensive line, or defense in general. Murphy would make an excellent choice for the Vikings come April.
Round 2, Pick 42
The Vikings have a dire need on the interior of the offensive line, at both Guard positions and the Center position. At this point in the draft, there is really only one name that the Vikings will want to hear called, and he can fill out the middle of this offensive line nicely. Doing this, will also allow Kirk Cousins to be more comfortable while he sits back in the pocket.
Pick: Zach Frazier, Center, West Virginia
Frazier is about as balanced as one can get on the interior of the offensive line, grading out almost identically in both pass and run block grades. What makes Frazier more enticing here for any team, is that he ha only given up 4 sacks in 3 seasons, and none last season. Frazier stands at 6’3, 310 lbs, giving him the size to contend with the larger Defensive Tackles in this class as well. Frazier has exclusively played Center during his time at West Virginia, giving him a leg up on some of his fellow recruits who have moved around a bit on the interior of the offensive line. If Frazier is there at 42, the Vikings should jump for joy as they turn in his card.
Round 4, Pick 109
Given that there is still uncertainty around Kirk Cousins and if he will return to the Vikings, Quarterback makes sense at some point in the draft. That being said, where they draft in the first and second rounds, the guys that they would like will likely be gone. There are guys in the 3rd or 4th round range that can fall and the Vikings can snag in the right spot, like this athlete here.
Pick: Spencer Rattler, Quarterback, South Carolina
Rattler started his career at Oklahoma, and had won the job in 2020. Rattler led the Sooners to a 9-2 record as a starter. Going into 2021, he was a favorite for the Heisman, and started of 6-0, until he was benched in the Red River Rivalry for eventual Heisman winner Caleb Williams. Rattler transferred to South Carolina where he would go 13-12 in two seasons, throwing for over 6200 yards, 37 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. Rattler has shown flashes of brilliance, like throwing for over 400 yards and 6 touchdowns against 5th ranked Tennessee in 2022. Rattler tends to struggle when there is pressure in his face and he does not have a clean pocket, but he does have a very beautiful deep ball and can air it out when needed. Rattler is a guy who will hear his name called in April, and it will likely be between the 3rd and 5th rounds. The Vikings could do worse at Quarterback here, and if Cousins decides to go elsewhere, look for Rattler to be on the short list as his replacement.
Round 5
With all of the holes that the Vikings currently have, it is safe to say they will try to be aggressive in free agency. It all depends on the cap space they have, if they make any adjustments, and if they have to sign Cousins to a big deal. However, the Vikings do have a large amount of middle round draft picks, 3 in the 5th round alone.
Pick 145:
Pick: Cooper Beebe, Guard, Kansas State
Beebe might be one of the best kept secrets of this NFL draft right now, ranking as the 4th best Guard out of 628 Guards in 2023. Beebe has also ranked higher than 25th in the same rankings in each of the last 3 seasons. In those 3 seasons, Beebe has allowed 2 sacks, 6 QB hits, and 20 QB hurries. He has been phenomenal for the Wildcats, and he would make a great addition to any NFL squad. Beebe also brings versatility, having played all offensive line positions at some point in the last 3 seasons minus Center. Beebe would be a steal here for the Vikings.
Pick 157:
Pick: JD Bertrand, Linebacker, Notre Dame
Bertrand is a player that got better as the season went on, playing his best games against Clemson and Stanford late in the season. Bertrand grades out as a top 40 Linebacker in 2023, significantly better than 2022 and 2021, where he was graded as the 221st and the 573rd respectively. Bertrand never finished a season with less than 76 tackles in which the Irish played at least 10 games, giving him a nose for the ball. Bertrand has the capability of playing Linebacker in the NFL, and the Vikings are a perfect fit for the Notre Dame product.
Pick 166:
Pick: Tahj Washington, Wide Receiver, USC
Tahj Washington broke 1000 yards last season for the Trojans, and scored 8 touchdowns as well in a very electric offense. What Washington lacks however, is size. Standing at only 5’10, 195 lbs, there may be some questions on his capabilities to hang with the size of NFL players. He also averaged 18.0 yards per reception, making him primarily a deep route runner. The Vikings are already loaded with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson, but Washington could fill in as a nice 3rd or 4th receiving option.
Round 6, Pick 179
Nearing the end of the draft, the Vikings have done a good job addressing a lot of needs that they have. There are still a few holes that can be addressed with their last few picks, and if they have a good free agent class, they can be competitive right away.
Pick: Ryan Watts, Cornerback, Texas
Ryan Watts is on the larger end of Cornerbacks in this class, standing at 6’3, 209 lbs, there are few receivers who will be able to out physical him. Watts also grades out as a very good run defender from the Corner position, with a run defense grade of 79.6 per PFF. That being said, Watts has been below average to poor in most other Cornerback statistics and areas. He ranks below the 25th percentile in zone coverage grade and completion percentage. Watts is going to have a steep learning curve if he wants to carve out a nice role for himself in the NFL, and he will likely be a practice squad guy for the first few seasons. If he can learn what he needs to learn, he may surprise a lot of people.
Round 7, Pick 227
With their final selection in the 2024 NFL draft, the Vikings will be looking for someone to be a practice squad guy, or to come in and potentially flash some level of brilliance for their position group.
Pick: Curtis Jacobs, Linebacker, Penn State
Jacobs grades above the 75th percentile as a pass rusher, but grades below the 25th percentile as a run defender. Jacobs, at this moment in time, will likely be nothing more than a situational pass rusher. At 6’1, 238 lbs, he has the size to get under some NFL Tackles. Jacobs, much like Watts, will likely be a practice squad guy to start his career, and will likely need a steep learning curve to find his place in the NFL. That being said, he is a decent pass rusher, and might here his name called in the final days of the NFL draft.
The Vikings have question marks around players that they currently have in the building, and none bigger than Kirk Cousins. It is going to be a very interesting, very eventful free agency for Minnesota. If they fill some of their needs via free agency, this draft can look a whole lot different. If they do not, a draft like this can give them quality players at key positions, and they can still look to 2024 and 2025 as competitive seasons. Everything in this moment, however, depends on Kirk Cousins, and if he will be in Minnesota next season or not. Up next in the NFC North: The Detroit Lions
