Mel Kiper Stays Consistent with his Pick for Vikings at #14
Dustin Baker
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ESPN’s Mel Kiper authored his second mock draft of the offseason on Thursday, and this time was really no different than his first mock for the Minnesota Vikings.
With the 14th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, Kiper sent offensive tackle Alijah Vera-Tucker from USC to Minnesota.
Vera-Tucker would presumably become a day-one starter for the Vikings – a team beset by longstanding offensive line suffering. During head coach Mike Zimmer’s tenure, Minnesota has only had a serviceable pass-protecting offensive line once. That was 2017. As a result, the Vikings reached the NFC Championship, just one game away from hosting a Super Bowl at U.S. Bank Stadium.
In sending Vera-Tucker to the North Star State, Kiper wrote:
“I’ll stick with Vera-Tucker here because of his versatility. He played guard before moving to left tackle for USC last season. He impressed there and rocketed up draft boards. I think he’ll probably stick at tackle in the NFL. We know coach Mike Zimmer will always push for the Vikings to draft a defender, and this could also be a spot for a pass-rusher or defensive back.”
Kiper’s prognostic is not necessarily edict, but it is noteworthy because Vera-Tucker was the same prospect that he sent to the Vikings in his first mock draft. Kiper evidently trusts his vision of Vera-Tucker to Minnesota.
Offensive Line is a Need
This is the hot debate of the offseason: What is a more pressing roster need for Minnesota? Getting after opposing quarterbacks or protecting their own? In 2020, the Vikings did neither very well and hence finished the season 7-9, on the outside looking into the postseason.
If Vera-Tucker is the pick, he will be the fourth offensive lineman in four years chosen by the Vikings in the first two rounds of the draft. In 2018, it was tackle Brian O’Neill. Then, it was Garrett Bradbury at center, and he is the team’s starter to date. Last year, it was tackle-turned-guard Ezra Cleveland. He did not start the season, but by the time it was evident that the guard play for the Vikings was nauseating, offensive line coach Rick Dennison inserted Cleveland at an unnatural position. Cleveland notched a 66.2 Pro Football Focus grade which is – all things considered – not too shabby for a first-year player. Offensive linemen generally “figure it out” sooner than other positions, so 2021 will be a telling expedition for Cleveland. Selecting Vera-Tucker would likely keep Cleveland at guard, for better or worse.
During the last three seasons, the Vikings ranked in the bottom six of the NFL for pass protection. Something must evolve or change.
Riley Reiff’s Offseason Prognosis is Pivotal
Onlookers to the Vikings will have a better idea if offensive line is the choice at No. 14 about a month before the draft.
Riley Reiff’s 2021 cap hit is a chunky one, and general manager Rick Spielman must decide what to do about it. He can release Reiff altogether. But that would be counterproductive because Reiff is a better pass-blocker than run-blocker while the other offensive line members tend to be the opposite. Most other Vikings linemen are better run-pavers.
He could also approach Reiff – again – to restructure his deal, this time backloading the contract and essentially extending Reiff for the long-term. One thing is for quasi-certain, Reiff probably won’t be back at his current cap figure which nominates him as the team’s third-highest player behind Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter.
Efforts to retain Reiff make the probability of Vikings choosing an offensive lineman in the 1st Round of April’s draft slimmer. Minnesota would need just one good guard to solidify a startable line.
If Reiff is released, well, put on your offensive line hat for draft night.
Vikings Would Then Use Free Agency for Defense
Vera-Tucker-to-Vikings would indicate the Vikings are confident that Zimmer can restore the Vikings defense to its normally fierce standard. Instead of spending currency on a guard in March, Minnesota would pursue free-agent defensive linemen with the notion aforethought that Vera-Tucker would firm up the offensive line. Or – they could address both lines to fortify depth [if the money is available].
Kiper has been doing the mock draft stuff for a long time. When he picks the same guy to the Vikings in successive mocks, it is noteworthy.