Mock draft season is upon us and that means our mock draft roundup is back!
What we do every week is track the mainstream outlets mock drafts and aggregate how many times a player gets selected. Last season, we tallied up 173 mock drafts and only 10 of them were on offense. This season could end up being much of the same.
We will track them and try to determine trends and patterns, along with giving my own analysis on how they could fit with the Minnesota Vikings.
This week, we have 23 new mock drafts and they are all over the place with what the Vikings are projected to do.
Minnesota C John Michael Schmitz
Who:
The Draft Network’s Keith Sanchez
“John Michael Schmitz was one of the biggest risers after the Senior Bowl and the Vikings desperately need a versatile interior offensive lineman to upgrade that position. The Vikings need to add an element of toughness to their offense to be able to impose their will running the football. Schmitz should help them do both things.”-Keith Sanchez
Maryland CB Deonte Banks
Who:
NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah
Falcons Wire’s Matt Urben
“Banks has good size, and I think you’ll see his stock rise as the evaluation process unfolds. The cornerback is physical and tough.”-Daniel Jeremiah
Georgia EDGE Nolan Smith
Who:
USA Today’s Nate Davis
Jaguars Wire’s Adam Stites
“One way to address the NFC’s worst pass defense? Infuse more juice into its pass rush, and Smith can do just that – especially if he’s allowed to start out with a focus on sub packages and passing downs.”-Nate Davis
Iowa EDGE Lukas Van Ness
Who:
“The Minnesota Vikings have other needs, but this is a deep class at cornerback. While they could draft one in the first round, going best player available is a sound strategy for a defense with plenty of needs.
Lukas Van Ness is a versatile player who can play as both a 3-4 defensive end and linebacker. Van Ness’s best fit for the Vikings, though, will come as a defensive end, where he can utilize his power and a quick first step to create havoc. If you’re looking for a comparison, think of a Great Value brand Jared Allen.”-Kevin Fielder
Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes
Who:
CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell
Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling
Fantasy Pros’ Dennis Sosic
College Wire’s Patrick Conn
Bucs Wire’s Luke Easterling
“Forbes is a ballhawk. He totaled 14 interceptions, the most in the NCAA during his three years in school from 2020-2022 while playing in the SEC West. The Vikings, who had the second-worst total defense (388.7 total yards per game allowed) and pass defense (265.6 passing yards per game allowed) desperately need that playmaking. New DC Brian Flores loved loading up on top corners when in Miami, and he starts that trend again with this pick.”-Garrett Podell
Michigan CB D.J. Turner
Who:
Pro Football Network’s Tony Pauline
“I like DJ Turner more than most. He’s a polished corner with outstanding ball skills despite being under the radar. Minnesota absolutely has to add more competition at the position this offseason, and Turner could be a Day 1 starter.”-Tony Pauline
Clemson EDGE Myles Murphy
Who:
The 33rd Team’s Scouting Staff
“Minnesota’s pass rushers are starting to age, so they pick a young, talented one in Myles Murphy (scouting report). Murphy should help new defensive coordinator Brian Flores improve a defense that was suspect vs. the pass last season.”-The 33rd Team
Ohio State WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Who:
“The Vikings dip into the receiver well to complement Justin Jefferson. Awesome value here for the Vikings, given Smith-Njigba’s injury in 2022 pushes him down the board.”-Chris Trapasso
Penn State CB Joey Porter Jr.
Who:
Yahoo! Sports’ Charles McDonald
“New defensive coordinator Brian Flores needs more athleticism at cornerback than he currently has with the Vikings setup. Joey Porter Jr. can fix that.”-Charles McDonald
Clemson DT Bryan Bresee
Who:
“Selecting a cornerback made sense. Trading down was also an option. Bryan Bresee, though, plugs a key gap in the Vikings’ roster. He has pass-rushing potential for a defensive line that needs it, especially considering the Vikings’ current depth at the position. Dalvin Tomlinson, who this past season was the Vikings’ best force up front, could become a free agent depending on how negotiations play out over the next month. Harrison Phillips is a reliable run stopper, and Khyiris Tonga emerged late in the season. Still, Minnesota needed more help at the spot. The injury history (an ACL tear and kidney infection) is notable, but ultimately, the future outlook and upside bode well for a new-look defense under coordinator Brian Flores.”-Alec Lewis
Boston College WR Zay Flowers
Who:
“Minnesota adds some speed to compliment Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. Zay Flowers will one day become the long-term complement to Jefferson.”-Josh Edwards
North Carolina WR Josh Downs
Who:
Pro Football Network’s Joe Broback
“If Minnesota’s staff decides they want to roll with guys like Lewis Cine, Akayleb Evans, and Andrew Booth Jr., then the secondary might not be the path they take with this pick. Even with those guys, the Vikings may still take a corner, but it also opens up their board for other positions.
Justin Jefferson needs some help, there’s no question about that. K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen provided sparks at times this past year, but the offense could use another weapon. Josh Downs thrives in the slot, and he’d give Minnesota the perfect complement to Jefferson.”-Joe Broback
Utah CB Clark Phillips III
Who:
“There is no NFL defense more cornerback-light than Minnesota’s, and while the addition of new defensive coordinator Brian Flores will prove to be a massive improvement over Ed Donatell’s “Party like it’s 1999” schemes, Flores will need some erasers in the secondary who work well with his eagerness for man coverage and Cover-0 blitzes. Phillips is an underrated, sticky cornerback who can follow just about any receiver through just about any route, and he’d thrive in the kinds of stuff Flores likes to throw at opposing offenses.”=Doug Farrar
Georgia CB Kelee Ringo
Who:
Pro Football Network’s Arif Hasan
CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson
“The Minnesota Vikings double up on physical Georgia defensive backs in the first round, following up their Lewis Cine pick last year with Kelee Ringo, who might be the best run defending cornerback in this year’s draft among a class full of them.
He’s incredible at bringing down ball carriers and carries high-level coverage capability against pass catchers. That sounds like somebody who could thrive in Brian Flores’ scheme.”-Arif Hasan
Pitt DT Calijah Kancey
Who:
“I’ve always said any time you can take a disruptive, undersized tackle from Pitt, you have to do it. OK, so Calijah Kancey isn’t Aaron Donald, but hardly anybody is. But he is disruptive and plays every snap like it’s his last. He could be an absolute steal for the Vikings or anybody who takes him.”-Tom Fornelli
USC WR Jordan Addison
Who:
“The Vikings once again sit right where they are and find one of the cleanest route runners in the class, who falls probably farther than he should. Sound familiar? Addison will be the perfect complement to Justin Jefferson, and will be yet another weapon in an already dangerous Minnesota offense.”-Natalie Miller
Overview
Through eight weeks, there have been 178 total mock drafts with 44 unique players.
| CB Cam Smith | 19 |
| CB Kelee Ringo | 14 |
| CB Clark Phillips III | 11 |
| CB Emmanuel Forbes | 11 |
| CB Devon Witherspoon | 10 |
| WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba | 10 |
| CB Christian Gonzalez | 8 |
| CB Joey Porter Jr. | 8 |
| WR Jordan Addison | 8 |
| CB Deonte Banks | 6 |
| EDGE B.J. Ojulari | 5 |
| CB/S Brian Branch | 4 |
| S Antonio Johnson | 4 |
| EDGE/LB Drew Sanders | 4 |
| EDGE Lukas Van Ness | 4 |
| EDGE Nolan Smith | 4 |
| LB Trenton Simpson | 3 |
| EDGE Myles Murphy | 3 |
| DT Calijah Kancey | 3 |
| WR Josh Downs | 3 |
| WR Rashee Rice | 2 |
| QB Anthony Richardson | 2 |
| NT Siaki Ika | 2 |
| WR Zay Flowers | 2 |
| DT Bryan Bresee | 2 |
| C John Michael Schmitz | 2 |
| OT Peter Skoronski | 1 |
| OT Blake Freeland | 1 |
| OT Anton Harrison | 1 |
| QB Tanner McKee | 1 |
| DL Mazi Smith | 1 |
| CB Jaylon Jones | 1 |
| WR Kayshon Boutte | 1 |
| OL Cody Mauch | 1 |
| CB Tyrique Stevenson | 1 |
| EDGE Felix Anudike-Uzomah | 1 |
| OT Broderick Jones | 1 |
| CB Kyu Blu Kelly | 1 |
| RB Bijan Robinson | 1 |
| EDGE Isaiah Foskey | 1 |
| WR Jalin Hyatt | 1 |
| C Joe Tippmann | 1 |
| DL Keion White | 1 |
| CB D.J. Turner | 1 |
| Total | 23 |
