Three Trade Up Mocks for The Vikings
K. Joudry
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Last week, we did a few trade down Vikings mock drafts. The results were, for the most part, pretty good. Minnesota brought in some great players in these scenarios. This week, we take a different approach. Instead of trading back, we’re rolling through three Vikings trade up mock drafts. We’re once again relying on PFF‘s nifty mock draft simulator to help with this exercise. Here is how things worked out.
Mock #1: NYG’s 11th Pick
My first trade up in these Vikings mock drafts involved our blue friends in New York. Hopping up from 14th to 11th only cost me the 90th overall pick in this draft. Frankly, I’m surprised the price was so cheap. With the 11th pick, I snagged Rashawn Slater, immediately upgrading our most pressing need.
My next pick was Jamin Davis. At 6’4, 224, Davis is built like a modern-day linebacker. I admit that going LB in RD2 feels underwhelming; most Vikings fans would be happy if we spent nine of our ten picks on the offensive line. Here’s the thing, though: Anthony Barr‘s restructured deal means he is a free agent in a year. That leaves Eric Kendricks and then a bunch of depth options. Getting Davis at 78th overall is nice value that will help my team both now and in the future.
Mock #2: CIN’s 5th Pick
I made up my mind that if Penei Sewell got past the Falcons that I’d go get him. Once again, I’m astonished by how little draft capital it cost me to make this move. In exchange for the fifth overall pick, I traded away pick #14, #78, and next season’s RD2 pick. I’d be thrilled if Spielman pulls this off in real life.
Jamin Davis was again available when the 90th pick arrived, and my honest opinion is that he was the right choice there. That being said, I decided to diversify these Vikings trade up mock drafts by going in a different direction. Instead of taking care of a future need at linebacker, I took care of a future need at quarterback. I selected Stanford’s Davis Mills, a player we highlighted earlier this week. Are there more pressing needs than backup QB? Of course, but Kirk Cousins needs a backup. It makes sense to take a shot on a super talented QB at this point in the draft.
Mock #3: MIA’s 6th Pick
I’ll admit that I tried to have some fun on this one. When Jacksonville was on the clock, I offered every pick Minnesota has in exchange for #1 overall. Perhaps Urban Meyer loves Gardner Minshew as much as everyone else. It didn’t work out.
I ended up settling for a trade with Miami so I could get perhaps the most talented player in the draft: Kyle Pitts. The move cost me the 14th pick and the 78th pick. In real life, teams pay more for this kind of move.
At 90, I addressed safety, the thinnest position on Minnesota’s roster. I chose Jamar Johnson, The Draft Network‘s 56th-ranked prospect. Unless something happens, Harrison Smith will be a free agent after this season, and Xavier Woods was only brought in on a one-year deal. Expect Zim to push for a safety at some point in this draft.
Conclusion
The Penei Sewell option worked out the best, in my humble opinion. Hopping all the way up to fifth cost a relatively modest amount, all things considered. In real life, the Vikings may be tempted to choose Davis to solidify the LB position rather than choose a backup QB. The reason why the NFL draft is so fun, though, is that no one really knows how things will work out. We’re less than a week away from the start.
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