Bold NFL Draft Predictions: Vikings Will Make a Day Two Trade
Josh Frey
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The 2022 NFL Draft is being pegged as a class that doesn’t have the most impressive group of players at the top. Especially given the lack of a strong quarterback presence, the demand for a top-10 selection is much lower than it would be in other years. However, it is also a class that has some of the deepest talent that we’ve seen in recent years. We will see players going in the third round that could make immediate impact on their teams.
Now, as you may already know, I am taking the week ahead of the draft to make some daily bold predictions about what I believe will happen. Yesterday, I predicted that no receivers would go in the first 10 selections. Today, keeping in mind that this is an extremely deep draft, I believe that the Minnesota Vikings will make a trade on the second day of the draft.
Looking at the current picks that the Vikings hold, they have eight selections and hold a pick in every round other than the fourth. They certainly have the capital to make some moves to move either up or down throughout the draft board.
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If they find a team that really wants to move up in the second round for a prospect like a Lewis Cine (looking at you Cincinnati Bengals), there’s a good chance that they could get a third-round selection on top of whatever second rounder they get. With the number of needs that aren’t necessarily pressing right now, but could be concerning in the future, as many picks as possible in this area of the draft will be very helpful. The draft is a giant dart board, and the more tosses you have, the better chance of landing a quality prospect.
Putting the boot on the other foot, what if the Vikings miss out on one of their favorite prospects in the first round, whether it be Derek Stingley Jr. or even a Trent McDuffie? There should be some solid CBs left on the board going into the second round, such as a Roger McCreary or a Kyler Gordon. Maybe a Kaiir Elam even falls that far if things get crazy on night one.
Even if they grab a top CB, you could argue for EDGE rushers like Arnold Ebiketie or Myles Sanders if they want to maximize their immediate value. Perhaps the Vikings package a couple of their picks to move up into the top-40 and assure that they get one of these top players in the second tier of this class.
No matter what, the Vikings have a number of different directions that they can go in once the second day of the draft begins. It should certainly be the busiest day of their process, and there are too many moves that make sense for them. The Minnesota Vikings will take this opportunity to grab some talent in the second and third rounds.
