Three Vikings Draft Scenarios for 2022
Josh Frey
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Bye week continues and thus the discussion of the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft carries on. At least, for a couple more days before we have current Minnesota Vikings news returning to the headlines. In this edition of Vikings draft discussions, we’ll be taking a deeper look into this year’s first round choice.
As the Vikings have played just six games, to an even record of 3-3, there is a wide range of options as to where Minnesota’s first selection of the 2022 NFL Draft could end up. Because of that, there is also a wide range of prospects that we could expect them to take. Here’s a look at three different spots the Vikings could be drafting from, and who they may select from that place.
Top 10: S Kyle Hamilton
After the Vikings started the season 1-3, some were already asking for the Vikings to call it quits on the 2021 season and tank for a high draft pick. After back-to-back wins, it seems very unlikely that the Vikings will end up doing that, but their schedule moving forward is tough enough that they may just flat out lose games. If they lose a large majority of their games moving forward, they can still end up with a top-10 pick next spring.
If that happens, the Vikings should have one player all over their radar and do whatever it takes to get him. That player is Notre Dame safety Kyle Hamilton. It is quite unusual for a safety to be taken within the first few picks of a draft class, but Hamilton’s skill set is unusual too. He is a freak athlete similar to former teammate and current Cleveland Brown, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. He can guard anyone in pass coverage and also has the size to be a run-stopper.
Of course, in order for the Vikings to be in a position to draft Hamilton, they will very likely have had an extremely disappointing to the season. That said, the top of the 2022 draft could be extremely volatile without a strong QB presence. Last year, we saw a similar talent in Owusu-Koramoah fall all the way into the second round. Hamilton looks like a better prospect as of now, but perhaps he falls as well. If Minnesota has a chance to take him, a pairing of Hamilton and Harrison Smith on the Vikings roster would be a lethal combination.
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11-20: C Tyler Linderbaum
The Vikings look much more likely to land in this range than any other at this point in the year. A 3-3 start virtually eliminates them from top pick status, but they don’t seem like a true Super Bowl contender at this point. Things may change, but I would expect the Vikings to pick somewhere in the teens this spring.
If that is in fact the case, Tyler Linderbaum is the man they should go after. The Vikings made a strong effort towards improving their offensive line last offseason, and it seems to have mostly worked. However, the one spot left is the center position. To this point, the Garrett Bradbury experiment has not been a success, and if Minnesota wants to boast one of the better offensive lines in the league, they need to improve this spot.
Linderbaum will almost assuredly do just that. He is the clear top prospect at the position right now, and his physicality is an imposing presence along the interior of the offensive line. He could prove to be the missing piece that completes the o-line for the Vikings roster.
21-32: CB Ahmad Gardner
Mike Zimmer will undoubtedly have an effect on this choice, should it happen. Even if the Vikings end up being in an upper echelon of this class, they may opt for a CB being how deep the position is in this 2022 NFL Draft. Seeing as almost every week has brought a new level of chaos to Vikings games, there is a chance that they are just chaotic enough to win some of their tougher games.
The Vikings roster could also see a lot of turnover at the CB position this offseason with Patrick Peterson, Bashaud Breeland, and Mackensie Alexander all set to hit free agency. If this is the case and the Vikings end up at the bottom half of the first round, Ahmad Gardner looks to be a great option out of Cincinnati.
At 6’2 and 190 pounds, he has the potential to be a terrific outside cornerback in the NFL. He’s fast, physical, and he has some great ball skills. The only real question marks surrounding him at this point are developmental. He’s raw as a prospect right now, but so was Cameron Dantzler. The Vikings should feel good about adding Gardner as a late first-round selection.