“You Shall Not Pass” — The Vikings Version
We’re just over two weeks away from the NFL Draft in Green Bay. The future of the franchise could be forever changed for better or worse. This is why the NFL Draft is so much fun, with the speculation hitting a peak on draft day.
We will always hear about the guys going at the top and have that first pick ruined by the draft experts spouting off about who their sources say a team is picking.
“You Shall Not Pass” — The Vikings Version
Back in the day, they would basically broadcast to the masses who a team was taking at 1st overall and have a contract in place. The NFL didn’t like that, so they asked teams to be a little more muted regarding that first overall pick. There have been a few years where that pick has been a bit of a question mark between two or three players.
Last year, the glut of quarterbacks was a prime example. There are players that draft speculators will anoint as “can’t pass” on players at the team’s draft position, pounding the table with a foam finger to get their point across. This is a list of players the Vikings can’t pass on at pick 24 – regardless of position or other players’ availability if they take a big fall towards them or get there as most speculate where the draft dominoes should fall.
This also means they should not trade down more than one spot if that player is sitting there. I’ve also thrown in a percentage to show how plausible I think it is to happen. You know how volatile the draft can be if you’ve read my previous articles.
Mason Graham
DT Michigan
Graham is the kind of guy that gets tremendous push in the middle and causes quarterbacks to have to slide away from his grasp. That usually sets them up to be corralled by a teammate. The Vikings’ defensive front will be a perfect scheme to pop him in for that type of work, with Johnathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel lurking on the edges.
He also adds youth to a defensive line that got older with free agency. I’ve gone through a few draft scenarios, and he is a player who could slide down if teams need more immediate support for quarterbacks or shore up behind the defensive line first. Defensive tackle is one of the deepest positions this year, and marquee players may get pushed back to the late 1st or 2nd round as teams hit the thinner positions early to get the better players at that position.
Chances: 10%
Tyler Warren
TE Penn State
Warren is a Swiss Army Knife on offense. Not only can he line up inline or in the slot, but he has also run successfully out of the backfield as a running back or in the Wildcat formation. Who does that sound like? Taysom Hill. A man who has tormented the Vikings like no other gadget player in their history. Warren would bring that same type of ingredient to Kevin O’Connell’s offense, which could give teams fits if two or all three tight ends were on the field at the same time.
He can also block well on the line or as a lead blocker out of the backfield. He wears number 44 because his favorite all-time player is John Riggins, and he plays like him: tough as nails. This pick also fills a position of depth and is a great incentive if T.J. Hockenson or Josh Oliver gets injured or the team moves on from them in a few years.
Chances: 50%
Ashton Jeanty
RB Boise State
The Vikings arguably boast one of the best all-around receiving corps in the league, from running back to tight end to wide receiver. Why not make that offense even more dangerous by adding the best running back in the draft? Jeanty is a dynamic player with the ball in his hands, whether on a straight-ahead run or a flare pass out of the backfield.
He has balance, strength, and the awareness to cause missed tackles. Having a defense guess whether he’s coming up the middle on a handoff or if he’s the play-action on a pass to Justin Jefferson would be thrilling to watch. Aaron Jones is old for an NFL running back, and Jordan Mason may have been a one-year-wonder. This is another deep position in the draft that could push him down on draft night.
The Vikings could pose a Detroit Lions-type backfield for a few years with him on the team, take some pressure off JJ McCarthy for years, and wear-and-tear off Jones immediately.
Chances: 40%
Grey Zabel
iOL North Dakota State
He’s hard-working, stout in pass protection, strong in the run game, and straight-up nasty. Basically, Zabel has it all. Not only does he have the game tape to prove it, but when he got to the Senior Bowl, he proved he belonged taking on some great defensive linemen all week.
Sure, offensive guard isn’t a splashy position, but players like him with the versatility to play up and down the line are rare. He can jump in at center if needed or play as an extra lineman outside in a heavy set. Left guard is his natural position, and it is the only question mark on the Vikings’ offensive line this offseason. Add in that center Ryan Kelly is an aging player who has previously dealt with injuries.
Zabel would make the offensive line a team strength we haven’t seen since Randall McDaniel anchored the position with Todd Stuessie, Jeff Christy, David Dixon, and Korey Stringer in the late 90s. Building through the trenches keeps your quarterback upright and keeps leads intact by blasting holes for running backs to run through to milk the clock down to all zeroes.
Chances: 70%
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