The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important, but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.
In the first mock draft that we did, the Vikings took a cornerback at 23rd overall, but this route had them trading back and looking at going offense with their first pick. Here is the second Vikings mock draft of the season.
37. North Carolina WR Josh Downs
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Trade details:
Seattle trades picks 37 and 52 to Minnesota for picks 23 and 156
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The Vikings need to upgrade at wide receiver and doing so early in the draft should be a priority. Downs is a very twitchy, explosive receiver that creates separation with both speed and quickness. That will also help him compensate for his lack of size, as he sits at 5’10” and 188 lbs. He is still likely a slot guy in the NFL, but with the condensed sets that the Vikings run, it won’t matter nearly as much.
58. Florida DT Gervon Dexter
Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Trade details:
Dallas trades picks 58 and 127 to the Vikings for pick 52
No matter what defense the Vikings run next year, they need to address the defensive line. There are multiple positions on the line that need to be addressed no matter what scheme they choose to run. Dexter is an explosive interior pass rusher that fits best as a 3T, 4i or 5T in a similar vein to Dalvin Tomlinson. His consistency hasn’t always been there, but the explosive traits and dominance are evident.
87. Texas LB DeMarvion Overshown
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The second level of the Vikings’ defense was slow and uninspiring. They had Brian Asamoah to provide speed, but he didn’t see the field enough. With the Vikings needing to get faster, pairing Asamoah with Overshown is very appealing. A long, rangy and fast linebacker, Overshown would be a great complement to Asamoah but success in the rushing game isn’t going to come easily with this duo.
117. Ohio State EDGE Zach Harrison
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The Vikings need an upgrade at edge rusher or at the very least, they need to add depth. Harrison is a mammoth pass rusher at 6’6″ and 270 lbs and has the length and twitch that you want to see. The problem is that he hasn’t put it together with any form of consistency. That lack of consistency is why he falls to the fourth round. If the Vikings end up going to a 4-3, Harrison would be perfect to pair with Danielle Hunter.
127. Oklahoma RB Eric Gray
Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports
Trade details:
Dallas trades picks 58 and 127 to the Vikings for pick 52
The Vikings running back situation isn’t great. Dalvin Cook could be on his way out and Alexander Mattison is a free agent. Gray is a versatile prospect that has great vision and the requisite speed and twitch to be great in the running and passing games. Due to the depth of the class, Gray is available here. In a normal year, he probably goes top-100.
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Story originally appeared on Vikings Wire