Cornerback. Offensive tackle. Wide receiver. Defensive tackle.
Those are the four most pressing positions of need the Vikings have entering the NFL Draft, which begins Thursday at 7 p.m. Minnesota owns the 22nd and 25th picks in the first round, along with another pick in the second round and two selections in the third round, one of them being a compensatory choice
That’s a lot of draft capital for a team with a bunch of holes, giving General Manager Rick Spielman to move up, down or stay put and add talent in what’s expected to be a strong draft class.
Here are the players the draft experts are pinning on the Vikings’ draft board.
With the 22nd pick in the draft, the Vikings select…
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Kevin Hanson, Sports Illustrated: Josh Jones, OT, Houston
Charlie Casserly, NFL.com: Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Peter Schrager, NFL.com: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Jason La Canfora, CBS Sports: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports: Austin Jackson, OT, USC
With the 25th pick in the draft, the Vikings select…
Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Kevin Hanson, Sports Illustrated: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Charlie Casserly, NFL.com: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL.com: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Peter Schrager, NFL.com: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Lance Zierlein, NFL.com: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State
Jason La Canfora, CBS Sports: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Eric Edholm, Yahoo Sports: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
What the experts say about Jefferson, Aiyuk
Everyone wants to know as much as possible about the wide receivers in this draft, so let’s dive into what some of the scouts say about the two receivers who are linked the Vikings most commonly, Aiyuk and Jefferson.
Aiyuk is 6-foot-1 and was named to the first team in the Pac-12 as both a wide receiver and kick returner. He’s considered an electric runner in the open field and his 81-inch wingspan is just one inch shorter than former Lions superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
After recording 65 receptions for 1,192 yards (18.3 per) and eight touchdowns last season, he underwent core muscle surgery in early April, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. It’s not completely clear if he’ll be healthy to start training camp on time.
Most experts consider Jefferson the fourth-best receiver in the draft class behind CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs. Jefferson, 6-foot-1, ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine after racking up an FBS-leading 111 receptions for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns.
