With One Day to Go, It’s an OL Bonanza for Vikings Draft Theories
Dustin Baker
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NFL pundits do not decide the ripples of the draft, but their ad nauseam prognostications foreshadow the Minnesota Vikings selecting an offensive lineman on Thursday night.
And that is s change of pace.
Until early this week, the most commonly mock-drafted player in this draft class to the Vikings was Kwity Maye, an EDGE rusher from Michigan. But now the dialogue has changed — definitively.
Indeed, a few mocks will deviate from the norm, but right now the working theory on Minnesota’s 1st-Round plan involves offensive line, offensive line, and more offensive line. The switch from DE to OL is stark and palpable.
As the NFL world wades through Draft Eve, NFL brains are logging their final mock drafts. Overwhelmingly, the selection for Minnesota is a hodgepodge of Alijah Vera-Tucker, Christian Darrisaw, and Rashawn Slater. To be sure, it’s heavy on Vera-Tucker.
Benjamin Allbright of Pro Football Network has the Vikings passing on Christian Darrisaw and DeVonta Smith — in favor of Vera-Tucker.
Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus rolls with AVT, too:
“He may not have the length of a top-tier tackle, but he put up the tape of a top-tier tackle this past year. He earned the highest pass-blocking grade on true pass sets of any player over the past two seasons.“
Bucky Brooks from NFL.com ensures that the Vikings skip Justin Fields — who goes to New England — for Vera-Tucker.
Guess who Chris Simms from Yahoo picked? Alijah Vera-Tucker.
It was AVT from Charles Davis of NFL.com, too:
“I tend to lean toward defense with the Vikings and coach Mike Zimmer, but Vera-Tucker is too good to pass up for a team with O-line needs in a few spots … all of which the USC product can play (one at a time, of course).“
Courtney Cronin from ESPN.com, in an NFL Nation mock draft, does the Darrisaw thing. She picks the Virginia Tech tackle for the Vikings:
“If one of the top three offensive tackles are available here, this pick is a no-brainer. Minnesota has needs on both the offensive and defensive lines but can find better value for a pass-rusher later. Darrisaw is the type of prospect who could start at left tackle from Day 1 and know you’re potentially set at the position for years, which is the type of long-term stability this offensive line has long desired. This would allow the Vikings to have four of the five spots on the O-line set before training camp begins. The Virginia Tech standout is a zone scheme fit who excels in pass protection — two attractive qualities for a unit that needs to shore up its ability to protect quarterback Kirk Cousins.“
From Draft Eve, WalterFootball.com sticks with the offensive line, but instead sends Rashawn Slater to the Vikings:
“The Vikings cut Riley Reiff, which means their offensive line is a greater liability right now. They could use this pick on a new blind-side protector for Kirk Cousins. Rashawn Slater can play every position on the offensive line. He some great tape against Chase Young. That said, he has some length issues, so some teams view him as a guard or center.“
So, unless the masses are wildly off base, it’s an offensive line for the Vikings to start the 2021 draft festivities.
And here’s what the fans want:
Slater if he falls — otherwise, Darrisaw first — then AVT secondarily.