Image courtesy of Vikings.com
The following list is composed of 2017 NFL draft prospects that have reportedly interviewed, worked out or scheduled a private visit with the Minnesota Vikings. Database will be continuously updated throughout April.
Mitch Leidner, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech
Formal interview at NFL Combine (Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press)
Patrick Mahomes II, Texas Tech
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Matt Vensel, Star Tribune)
Brad Kaaya, Miami
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Kyle Tasman, 247 Sports)
Jack Nelson (Winona State – Division II)
Interview at Pro Day (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Drew Bauer (Minnesota-Duluth – Division II)
Worked out with Vikings (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
Left Oklahoma Pro Day with Mike Zimmer (Brooke Pryor, NewsOK.com)
Notes: “We wanted to get a feel for him. Good visit. Talked about his past and how he’s going to change,” Mike Zimmer (KFAN); “Buzz is Zimmer really liked him” (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Kareem Hunt, Toledo
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Brian Hill, Wyoming
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Ben Goessling, ESPN)
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Ian Rapoport, NFL.com)
Marlon Mack, South Florida
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Jared Tokarz, NFLDraftInsider.com)
Dare Ogunbowale, Wisconsin
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Curtis Samuel, Ohio State
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Ian Rapoport, NFL.com)
Samaje Perine, Oklahoma
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Ben Goessling, ESPN)
Aaron Jones, Texas-El Paso
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Jared Tokarz, NFLDraftInsider.com)
Jamaal Williams, Brigham Young
Met with Vikings (Matt Vensel, Star Tribune)
Corey Clement, Wisconsin
Attempt to schedule Top-30 visit; previous commitment interfered (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Joe Williams, Utah
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Tom Pelissero, USA Today Sports)
Rodney Adams, South Florida
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Greg Auman, Tampa Bay Times)
Drew Wolitarsky, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Chad Williams, Grambling State
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Tony Pauline, DraftAnalyst.com)
Amba Etta-Tawo, Syracuse
“Mike Zimmer and his staff met with Syracuse wide receiver Amba Etta-Tawo, a graduate transfer from Maryland.” (Kyle Tasman, CBS Sports)
Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Gil Brandt, NFL.com)
Lance Lenoir Jr., Western Illinois
Phone conversation (Lance Lenoir Jr., Twitter)
Jonnu Smith (Florida International)
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Ian Rapoport, NFL.com)
Mo Alie-Cox (Virginia Commonwealth)
Vikings attended special Pro Day (Ian Rapoport, NFL.com)
Jonah Pirsig, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Julie’n Davenport, Bucknell
“Davenport met with head coaches, general managers and offensive line coaches privately at the NFL scouting combine with the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Minnesota Vikings, Buccaneers, Atlanta Falcons and San Diego Chargers.” (Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle)
Dan Feeney, Indiana
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press)
Damien Mama, Southern California
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Ben Goessling, ESPN)
Kyle Kalis, Michigan
Met with Vikings at Shrine Game (Walter Football)
Pat Elflein, Ohio State
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Carl Lawson, Auburn
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Walter Football)
DeMarcus Walker, Florida State
Attempt to schedule Top-30 visit; previous commitment interfered (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Tarrell Basham, Ohio
Met with Vikings at Senior Bowl (Walter Football)
Malik McDowell, Michigan State
Independent workout at Michigan State Pro Day (Adam Schefter, ESPN)
Davon Godchaux, Louisiana State
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press)
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle)
Chunky Clements, Illinois
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Jaleel Johnson, Iowa
Met with Vikings at Senior Bowl (Walter Football)
Dylan Bradley, Southern Mississipi
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Elijah Lee, Kansas State
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Greg Auman, Tampa Bay Times)
Jack Lynn, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Duke Riley, Louisiana State
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Chris Tomasson, Pioneer Press)
Eric Wilson, Cincinnati
Scheduled workout with Vikings (NFL Draft Diamonds)
James Onwualu, Notre Dame (Cretin-Derham Hall High School)
Met with Vikings at Shrine Game (Walter Football)
Jalen Myrick, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Brendan Langley, Lamar
Scheduled Top-30 visit (NFL Draft Diamonds)
Damontae Kazee, San Diego State
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Tony Pauline, DraftAnalyst.com)
Conflicting report (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Leon McQuay III, Southern California
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Joshua Grady, JABEZ Marketing Agency)
Damarius Travis, Minnesota
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Josh Jones, North Carolina State
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Jadar Johnson, Clemson
Met with Vikings at NFL Combine (Darren Wolfson, KSTP)
Rayshawn Jenkins, Miami
Met with Vikings at Senior Bowl (Walter Football)
Weston Steelhammer, Air Force
Met with Vikings at Shrine Game (Walter Football)
Zane Gonzalez, Arizona State
Independent workout at Arizona State Pro Day (Greg Auman, Tampa Bay Times)
Worth Gregory, East Carolina
Scheduled Top-30 visit (Aaron Wilson, Houston Chronicle)
No reported interactions
Notice a prospect is missing from our list? Comment below or contact BJ Reidell on Twitter @RobertReidell.
View Comments
G Kyle Kalis is the son of former Vikings G Todd Kalis.
With a name like Chunky Clements, this DT should be a run-stuffing nose tackle but he is apparently more of a gap-shooting, 3-technique guy.
With Case Keenum's signing, I wouldn't expect a QB to be drafted. RB is another story completely.
I'm surprised no meeting has been scheduled or had with a TE. WR looks like a Day 3 concern.
I'm hoping that NT is more the target than DT, but I think that is a forlorn hope. Day 2, for sure.
Hmm, looks like linebackers and safeties are of far more interest than corners, but are the latter pure safeties (free or strong) or hybrid LB/S types? I don't think they're looking to bench Sendejo.
I'd jump on Gonzalez if he's still available in the 4th round. Anyone know anything about Gregory?
cka - The safeties, as a whole, are pretty versatile group. I wouldn't call them hybrid types, but they can can certainly move around the formation. If you had to pin a title on it, which I think simplifies their skill sets, I'd list the majority of the group as strong safeties. I'd say the interest in safety is more about adding depth (Sendejo injury, Kearse's weak first impression, Harris' limitations) than outright seeking a starter to play opposite Harrison Smith.
Personally, I do not believe in drafting special teams positions ever, regardless of circumstance, because the difference between a 5th-round kicker/punter and a UDFA kicker/punter tends to be miniscule. Simply put, I think it's a poor use of resources given the value a good scouting department can find in the 4th, 5th and sometimes 6th round instead.
As for everything else, we're pretty much on the same page it seems like.
- BJ Reidell
I'm in the middle regarding the draft picks on kickers/punters. I have no issue using a late day three pick, 6th or 7th round, if the scouts think the guy has the right mental makeup and a powerful leg. At that point in the draft your chances of finding a real contributor to your team are so low that I think there is more value in finding a potential 10-15 year specialist if he's a guy the scouts identified as a real talent. I would never do what Tampa did last year taking Arguyo in the 2nd round after trading up, and I think the 4th and probably 5th in this draft is to high for Gonzalez this year. It's always going to depend on who else is available, but if you have a need at the position and the guy grades out, you take him. Too many games are won/lost by a FG or missed extra point that you have to consider using draft resources on a kicker who can put the ball through the uprights, or a punter who can flip field position consistently. It's not something I would do year after year until I found a hall of famer, but if you've got someone targeted I would draft them to secure their rights instead of chancing losing them to another team after the draft.