Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images
The Minnesota Vikings can go a lot of directions in this year’s draft, and here is a fresh, full 7-round mock.
After a disappointing 2018 campaign, the Minnesota Vikings went 10-6 and upset the New Orleans Saints in the Wild Card round last season. In a win-now window with Kirk Cousins at quarterback, the Vikings are set to roll it back this year and two more years after signing Cousins to a contract extension.
With that being said, the Vikings have had some notable departures this offseason. Their top three cornerbacks (Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander) are gone, and defensive end Everson Griffen may still land elsewhere as a free agent. Safety Anthony Harris was franchise tagged, and the odds he’s traded seem about as good as him signing a multi-year deal with the Vikings.
In their biggest move of the offseason, at least to this point, the Vikings traded wide receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills for multiple draft picks. The deal most notably netted them another first-round pick, No. 22 overall, to go with their own at No. 25.
With 12 picks in the upcoming draft, here is a full, seven-round 2020 NFL mock draft for the Minnesota Vikings.
1st round
Kristian Fulton
CB, Tigers
Fulton showed himself as a shutdown-type corner against SEC competition at LSU, allowing just a 40 percent completion rate over the last two seasons. Pro Football Focus rated him well in press coverage, and he was No. 1 in the country in “forced incompletions.” He has good size (6-foot, 197 pounds), and he ran well at the NFL Draft Combine (4.46 40).
Fulton’s work against three of the top wide receivers in this year’s draft class last season should be noted. When he matched up against Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), Henry Ruggs (Alabama) and Tee Higgins (Clemson), he allowed a total of three catches for 39 yards and zero touchdowns on 11 targets.
Even if head coach Mike Zimmer doesn’t exert great influence over the draft, Fulton fills an obvious need for the Vikings and he should be ready to start immediately.
A.J. Epenesa
DE, Hawkeyes
There’s some speculation that Everson Griffen will come back to the Vikings, with other free agent pass rushers also still available and the unique circumstance of this offseason. But it has to be at the right price. Even if Griffen winds up coming back, drafting someone to split work with him and outright replace him down the road has to be on Minnesota’s radar.
Epenesa emerged as a force for the Hawkeyes, with 22 sacks and 30.5 tackles for loss over his final two seasons. He led the Big Ten in sacks with 10.5 in 2018, despite not starting any games.
Epenesa had a rough showing at the combine, as he ran a 300-pound offensive tackle-style 5.04 40-yard dash and only put up 17 bench press reps. But the tape doesn’t lie here, and the Vikings will jump on the chance to draft him.