Wide receiver in round one, offensive line sleepers, and best player available highlight Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft mailbag

The Minnesota Vikings are just two days away from making their roster potentially better. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not had the best track record with the NFL Draft, but he's made a lot of moves to grow in that area. Ahead of the NFL Draft, there are still a lot of questions, so I […]

Tyler Forness — NFL & College Football News Writer
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Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) catches a touchdown in front of Oregon Ducks defensive back Brandon Johnson (3) during the first half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025.
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are just two days away from making their roster potentially better. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has not had the best track record with the NFL Draft, but he's made a lot of moves to grow in that area.

Ahead of the NFL Draft, there are still a lot of questions, so I answered them in my latest mailbag.

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Vikings NFL Draft Mailbag

Offensive players on day 3

There are some intriguing talents the Vikings can add on day three to strengthen the offensive side of the football. I have more intriguing names at wide receiver, but I'll give you a few of both.

  • LSU G Miles Frazier
  • Jacksonville State G Clay Webb
  • Florida WR Chimere Dike 
  • Colorado State WR Tory Horton

I included Frazier and Dike in my final mock draft for the Vikings, as they both fit wht the Vikings want to do. Webb is a really intriguing player, but there are some off the field concerns with him that could lead him to be undrafted. Horton is currently underrated due to a knee injury. He's 60th on my big board, which is 47 spots above consensus.

Wide Receiver in Round 1?

Wide receiver is quite an interesting discussion when it comes to the Vikings. Yes, Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison are among the best duos in the NFL, but the depth behind them is in a tough spot. Jalen Nailor is a good player, but he's far from consistent and Rondale Moore might not be healthy for training camp.

Taking one in the first round certainly is on the board. The Vikings have taken two wide receivers in the first round over the last 30 years when it wasn't a pressing need: Randy Moss in 1998 and Percy Harvin in 2009. The common thread with both of those selections? The Vikings made the NFC Championship Game that season.

Emeka Egbuka gives off some vibes of Cooper Kupp in that he does the dirty work and does everything really well, especially as a route-running savant. The other option I would consider is Luther Burden III from Missouri, who projects as a great YAC threat while also projecting well as a route runner. If they were to go this route, it would elevate the offense with J.J. McCarthy.

Favorite Prospect Who Isn't a Fit

I have quite a few prospects that I like and, luckily for the Vikings, most of them ended up fitting how they like to play. The one that is the least likely to fit is the second-best running back in this class Omarion Hampton.

Now, he can fit with some minor adjustments, but he is meant for a gap scheme. His cutbacks are slow processing and doesn't have the great start/stop ability that you want with a zone scheme that O'Connell likes to run. Now, you can adapt for a player of his caliber, but with the depth of the class, it would behoove the Vikings to go in a different direction.

Trade Down

If the Vikings want a first-round pick next year, they likely need to move down toward the end of round two to do so. A team like the Seattle Seahawks which has two second-round picks at 50 and 52. Getting one of those and a first next year is always a possibility, but I would find it hard to believe you are getting a first-round pick with a trade down from 24 this year.

Players Worth Not Trading Back For

This is a great question. There are currently nine players who I would stick and pick at 24th overall. If there are a number of them there, I would much prefer a trade back. If you look at my big board, wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. are my top two players on the board among those I would stay at 24 to take, and they would be the ones who give me the most pause.

Somehow, if Texas A&M edge rusher Shemar Stewart makes it to 24, I'd sprint to the podium.

Below, you can see my big board and horizontal boards on both offense and defense.

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