Last offseason, the Minnesota Vikings chose safety Lewis Cine in the first round of the NFL Draft. Could they plan to draft another safety in the first round this season?
Cam Garrity of Patriots Wire thinks so. Garrity published a mock draft on Tuesday that has the Vikings selecting Alabama safety Brian Branch.
An all-around stud, Branch will immediately impact the Vikings defense, as he can play in the box, deep, and in the slot. The Vikings’ secondary needs to get better, and will eventually need to replace Harrison Smith. Branch, who is the best safety in the draft, could do this for the team.
The Vikings have been a semi-popular landing spot for Branch in mock drafts this offseason. Branch can play a deep safety and also come down to play nickel corner. In addition to his positional versatility, Branch’s size and ability make him a dangerous blitzer, something he displayed throughout his collegiate career.
