National NFL Writer Wanders Off the Beaten Path with Vikings 1st-Round Pick
Every so often, things get wonky in the draft. Look back to Atlanta opting for Michael Penix Jr. at No. 8 back in the 2024 NFL Draft. That was a move that caused many eyebrows to raise, including my own.
The word from national NFL writer Mike Florio — a former (current?) Vikings fan — isn’t quite so shocking, but his mock selection does deviate from the norm.
Check out how he begins: “I decided several years ago that I don’t like mock drafts. Yes, they provide a topic for discussion. Nowadays, there are topics for discussion up and/or out the wazoo.” He then works through some housekeeping for how he conducts his mock, but scroll down to No. 18. Doing so will mean arriving at the name of a Georgia linebacker whom many see as a Day 2 prospect.
National NFL Writer Links Vikings to CJ Allen in RD1
To be fair, my knowledge of college ball is very limited, meaning CJ Allen deserves more nuance than I can provide.
Gleaning some level of insight prior to the draft involves understanding Mr. Allen as a great leader, worker, and teammate. Someone who will help a team win with physicality, brains, and compete but who isn’t the world’s most formidable athlete. He could, though, be a very good starter.
So, that’s a RD2 ‘backer, at least in theory. Minnesota’s has a 2nd, coming in at No. 49.
Check out how the NFL’s Lance Zierlein described the Georgia defender.
“‘Green dot’ linebacker and team captain more capable of rowing the boat than making big splashes,” the scouting analyst begins. “Allen plays with toughness and control, sorting through run fits with patience and leverage in pursuit. He has average trigger quickness and pursuit speed, which forces him to work harder to get to junction points when facing climbing blockers. He has adequate size and strength with good hand strikes to play off blocks. He doesn’t blow up blocks or disrupt on the other side of the line all that often, though. He’s an effective blitzer with average man-cover talent and is capable on all three downs. Allen is a dependable starting Mike ‘backer who raises the floor of a defense.”
Per Zierlein, Allen has a 2nd Round grade. There’s a cluster of talent in that range. Think Jacob Rodriguez, Jake Golday, and likely some others.
The Vikings do have a need at linebacker (even after the Ivan Pace agreement). In particular, there’s a need for the precise abilities that CJ Allen offers: strong leadership from a three-down player. Being able to decode an offense in real time, communicate with teammates, and then do essentially everything well is what Allen appears to offer.
As a rookie, CJ Allen could function as a depth option behind Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Pace. The goal would be to bring him into the mix slowly while working toward him taking over for Cashman — a veteran playing on the final year of his deal — as the one who collects the call from the DC from 2027 onward.
In the 2025 season, Allen offered Georgia 88 tackles to stand alongside 3.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended, and 2 forced fumbles. He stands at 6’1″ and weighs 230 pounds, meaning his build is closer to Eric Kendricks (himself a 2nd-Round selection) than Anthony Barr (who went in the 1st).
As it relates to the Florio mock, note that Dillon Thieneman goes to the Lions at No. 17. The athletic Duck is therefore off the board by the time Minnesota gets to its turn to pick. Similarly of note is that TE Kenyon Sadiq is still out there, but the tight end goes to Carolina at No. 19. The national NFL writer therefore has the Vikings slicing through the two Oregon Ducks — Thieneman at No. 17 and Sadiq at No. 19 — to snag a promising ‘backer.
CJ Allen is 21 and was an All American in his final season as a Bulldog. The Vikings would likely be thrilled to land him in the 2nd, but he may not tumble down to No. 49. Trading down into the late-1st could be the sweet spot.
