MOCK DRAFT: Anderson Version 1.0
Brett Anderson
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The NFL Draft is incredibly unpredictable. Even some of the best gurus around are only able to guess a handful of picks correctly. Take last year for example: Thanks to some tracking from Sports Grid we can see how some of the better known draft experts fared in 2015. Todd McShay? He was only able to correctly guess 10/32 picks. How did Mel Kiper Jr. and Mike Mayock, two of the most respected draft heads around, fare? They both got 7/32 picks right. In fact, the most accurate mock draft last year (according to Sports Grid) was from Jason Boris who got a whopping 12/32 (38%!) picks correct.
The truth is, there are just way too many variables and unknowns. Exhibit A? Yesterday’s mammoth trade. This mock draft was done and ready to post Thursday morning. Of course, it’s just my luck that the biggest trade in quite some time took place and left my mock draft outdated and useless in an instant. Every pick had to be revisited because of the domino effect created by the Rams blockbuster trade to move up to the first overall pick. If one team picks Player A instead of Player B, then another team might have to take Players C, D or E, and so on and so on…
What’s nice about this otherwise inconvenient trade is that it gives us a chance through this mock draft to see how it impacts the Vikings .
As we all know, Minnesota is rooted deeply in the wide receiver market this year. At this point, I think most Vikings mock drafts have become not “which available prospect are you selecting” and instead “which available wide receiver prospect are you selecting.” If you are one of those people who think the Vikings absolutely should select a pass catcher in the first round, then the trade between the Rams and Titans should make you happy. Los Angeles was one of the only other teams in the first round selecting before the Vikings that had a major need at wide receiver. Now that they have the first overall pick (and are likely selecting quarterback Carson Wentz), that’s potentially one less team Minnesota has to compete with. With the 15th overall selection the Titans received from the Rams, they will likely address their offensive or defensive line.
This means there is a real possibility that the Vikings could have their pick when they’re on the clock at #23. In this mock draft, I have the Detroit selecting Laquon Treadwell seven picks before Minnesota. However, I don’t think that pick is a given and if the Lions go another direction, Treadwell could still be available for the Vikings.
I have the Vikings going a different route at wide receiver in this particular mock draft. A versatile play maker who is able to stretch the field and go vertical to make contested catches over would-be defenders and run good routes underneath.
To find out who that is, click through below to check out the mock draft. If you are a studied draftnik and can predict who I’m referring to? Well, click through anyway!
Anderson Mock Draft 1.0