Vikings Draft Profile: Ross Blacklock, DT, TCU

Ross Blacklock [90] bears down on Kansas QB Peyton Bender [7] Image courtesy of TCU Athletics

I The Minnesota Vikings thought they solved their defensive line problems last season by bringing back Shamar Stephen. Stephen, originally a seventh round pick by the Vikings in 2014, spent one season in Seattle, and then returned to Minnesota on a three-year $12.4-million contract.

Stephen didn’t do a terrible job for the Vikings, but he certainly didn’t live up to his contract expectation. After many years with a dominant defensive line anchored by Linval Joseph, the Vikings looked pedestrian last year, and were ran all over by the NFC Super Bowl representative, the San Francisco 49ers, in their final game. 

If the Vikings plan to make it anywhere near the Super Bowl in 2020, they need to get back to their pre-2019 level of D-line dominance. Considering the amount of $ I recently put down on the Vikings doing just that, with one of the best apps for the super bowl 2020, let’s hope/look at how they can do just that.

It would be one thing if Stephen was an excellent pass rusher, but he only collected one sack and 2 quarterback hits despite starting every game except week 17 against the Chicago Bears. This issue could have the Vikings looking to the draft to find new and exciting talent to tighten up their defensive front, especially considering the cap situation and how much defensive linemen can make on the open market.

If the Vikings want to target a defensive tackle in the draft, they have options. I’ve already written about South Carolina’s Javon Kinlaw, and a potential sleeper in Arkansas’ Mctelvin Agim. Another player the team could consider in the first round is 6’3” 290-pound Ross Blacklock from Texas Christian University. Blacklock was already one of this year’s top prospects, and his combine was adequate enough to keep him in that position.

Blacklock spent four years at TCU, but only played two seasons for the Horned Frogs after redshirting his first season and tearing his achilles tendon before the start of his sophomore campaign. Despite only playing two seasons, Blacklock 67 total tackles (39 solo, 28 assisted), 15.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. He also won freshman All-American honors and Big 12 Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year in 2017.

When you watch tape on Blacklock, the first thing you notice is his power and drive. He’s always winning the battle at the line of scrimmage, and has the flexibility to get low and leverage offensive linemen backwards. You’ll see him get a ton of double teams to try to negate this, but that gives his second level players the opportunity to make more plays.

His pass rush is where he really shines. He has the athleticism to rush the outside of linemen, and is sufficiently quick to setup blockers and juke them out of position. He then can use his power to push past the blockers weak point. 

Again, because of this power, teams were willing to double team him to keep their quarterback clean. This worked at the collegiate level, but slotting him in next to Danielle Hunter would be really hard on any offensive line. It could become a game of pick your poison.

Blacklock has a great motor for a big guy. He doesn’t seem to be carrying a ton of extra weight around, and it means he can give his all every play. He’s thick and has functional strength, but he’s not going to be lumbering around the field after a quarter or half.

Where Blacklock needs work is on the mental side of things. He has the physical tools to be effective, but he needs to learn to keep his eyes moving, and process the play. Too often he gets tunnel vision on his man and runs past the ball. He’s a bit boom or bust that way, but he could be coached on how to take on a block and throw his man allowing him to either make the play or at least clog up the lane with bodies.

He also is only one season removed from a very serious injury. Achilles injuries with big men are no joke. It’s what the Vikings lost Phil Loadholt to. Blacklock looks like he is over it and his explosive self again, but it’s still a red flag going forward. You never want to count on a guy and then have to scramble at a position that is as important as defensive tackle.

If the Vikings want to get Blacklock, they’ll have to potentially move up a few spots or hope he falls to them at 25. It’s possible that teams will see the achilles injury as enough concern to let him slide. With more sure fire, at least health-wise, options available, teams looking to have a plug-and-play guy might pass up Blacklock.

However, I don’t think Blacklock will stay on the board until 25, and even if he does, I don’t really think the Vikings should take him. Of all the Vikings needs, defensive tackle is the one that they have the most talent at. It is also one of the needs that is deepest in this year’s draft. It just seems like such a gamble to take a somewhat unpolished guy who’s only a year removed from a major injury with your first round pick when you have so many needs.

It is very possible the Blacklock is the best player available when the Vikings pick at 25,  but they might then consider moving back and stocking up more picks. We all know Rick Spielman loves to do that.

Projected Draft Position: Mid 1st- Early 2nd

Best Traits: Power, Motor, Fluidity

Biggest Drawbacks: Slow play processing, Tunnel vision, Injury history

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