10 Vikings Draft Prospects with 10 Days to Go
The Minnesota Vikings have pick 24 in the upcoming draft, and they are consistently among the teams analysts determine should opt to trade down from that spot to generate more draft capital. Ultimately, it is tough to predict who and when the Vikings will draft in a year with no desperate needs.
10 Vikings Draft Prospects with 10 Days to Go
However, here are ten candidates for the first selection, ranked alphabetically.
1. CB Trey Amos, Ole Miss
At the cornerback position, the Vikings have numerous options at 24. One of them is Trey Amos, a player with ideal size and length for an outside cornerback. He is scheme versatile and has a strong track record of man and zone coverage. In addition to that, he is a playmaker and loves to challenge wideouts at the catch point.
The 23-year-old would be immediate competition for Mekhi Blackmon and Isaiah Rodgers for a role in Week 1.
2. CB Jahdae Barron, Texas
Another corner, Jahdae Barron, showed elite physical tools at the Scouting Combine, which just confirmed his strong 2024 film. He is a versatile defender and can play in the slot, on the outside, and could even be a part-time safety for Brian Flores.
Last season, he showed elite playmaking ability on the outside and his versatility would make him a perfect chess piece in Minnesota. There’s a good chance he’ll be off the board by 24, but it’s hard to believe the Vikings would pass on him if he isn’t.
3. DL Kenneth Grant, Michigan
Just a year ago, the Vikings chose a Michigan product in the first round. Kenneth Grant is a large human being at 6-3, 331 lbs, but that frame is paired with rare quickness. He is an outstanding run defender and, for his size, a decent pass rusher.
Grant could even take some time to develop into the best version of himself while the veterans on Minnesota’s line take care of business, but he has the potential to be an interior force for years to come.
4. CB Maxwell Hairston, Kentucky
Barron showed his explosiveness in Indianapolis, but the Combine’s winner was Maxwell Hairston, with his 4.29 40-yard dash. He’s not the biggest cornerback at 5-11, 183 lbs, but his speed makes him an intriguing target for anyone.
Hairston is more of a zone defender than the previous two cornerbacks on this list.
5. DL Derrick Harmon, Oregon
The second defensive tackle on the list, Harmon transferred to Oregon after three seasons at Michigan State, and he had a wonderful season with five sacks and 45 tackles. While Grant is a nose tackle, Harmon is a three-technique and would be the successor to Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen.
Still a decent run defender, he is a fantastic pass rusher with an outstanding pass-rush win rate in his lone season at Oregon.
6. CB Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
We return to the cornerback position with another man coverage defender. Morrison missed the majority of last season with a hip injury that required surgery, which is why he is expected to be on the board at 24; that might not have been possible otherwise.
He brings the speed, size, and instincts to be a long-term answer. If the medicals are fine, Morrison should be high on Minnesota’s wishlist.
7. CB Shavon Revel Jr., East Carolina
The last corner, I promise, Revel Jr. also missed most of 2024 after tearing his ACL in practice early in the season. It’s extremely rare to see a 6-3 player run as fast and smoothly as he does, but his length and speed will be a real challenge for any wideout in the NFL.
There could be some adjustment time for Revel Jr., considering he played at a smaller school and is coming off a knee injury, but the physical tools are enough to put him on the Vikings’ list.
8. S Malaki Starks, Georgia
This one would be a deja vu for Vikings fans. A safety from Georgia in the first round three years after the Lewis Cine debacle? Yes, Starks is that good.
He has three years of excellent tape in Georgia’s secondary, and his football IQ and athleticism allow him to line up at every spot in the world of safety play: in the slot, the box, and deep. There’s not too much risk involved; the man is just too good of a football player.
9. S Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Let’s stay in the safety room, the Vikings lost Cam Bynum in free agency, and Xavier Watts is pretty much a new Bynum. He is a ball-hawking deep safety (13 INTs in the last two seasons) who surely isn’t a liability if he has to play in the box.
It would also be nice to continue the Notre Dame tradition in Minnesota’s safety room once Harrison Smith says goodbye to the sport.
10. OL Grey Zabel, NDSU
The Vikings have overhauled two-thirds of their interior offensive line, and if they want to make it three out of three, grabbing Zabel makes sense. A college tackle with guard (and even center) versatility would complete one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Senior Bowl standouts often make noise in the NFL, and Zabel surely is one of those.
He’s a fantastic athlete and can play in various schemes, further allowing the Vikings to run a mix of zone and gap running plays.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
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