Vikings Meet with “Mountain of a Man” Rookie Prospect
Although the Minnesota Vikings have tended to the offensive line this offseason — Will Fries and Ryan Kelly can tell you all about it — the team may also use the NFL draft to improve the trenches.
Vikings Meet with “Mountain of a Man” Rookie Prospect
The draft is just 16 days away, and Minnesota is currently conducting Top 30 visits with various prospects.
And one just so happens to be a “mountain of a man” — offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea.
Vikings “Top 30” Visit for Jonah Savaiinaea
Minnesota (and every NFL team) can spend 30 intimate visits on rookie prospects, and among others, the Vikings recently spent one on Savaiinaea, an interior offensive lineman.
VikingsWire‘s Cole Smith wrote last weekend, “One of the draft’s bigger prospects is scheduled to visit the Minnesota Vikings. The team added two starters to their offensive line in free agency but could still look to add depth in the draft.”
“The Draft Network‘s Ryan Fowler reported that the Vikings will host Arizona offensive tackle Jonah Savaiinaea for their ‘Top 30’ event. Savaiinaea stands 6’4″, 324 pounds, and was a three-year starter at Arizona, appearing in 35 games.”
Minnesota also notably met with East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel Jr. and Brashard Smith, a running back from SMU. The Vikings, too, frequently used Top 30 visits on prospective undrafted free agents, probably so the club feels like it has priority right after the draft.
Savaiinaea’s Scouting Report
Savaiinaea earned the “mountain” title from NFL Draft Buzz because of his 6’5″ height and 335-pound stature, quite huge for a guard.
NFB wrote about Savaiinaea: “A mountain of a man with island roots, Jonah Savaiinaea emerged from the shadows of St. Louis High School in Honolulu to become a cornerstone of Arizona’s offensive renaissance. The three-star recruit arrived in Tucson with little fanfare but immediately claimed the starting right tackle spot as a true freshman in 2022, earning FWAA Freshman All-American honors.
“Standing 6’5″ and tipping the scales at a massive 336 pounds, Savaiinaea’s frame commands attention the moment he steps on the field.”
The Arizona alumnus has three years of starting experience in college, ideal size, strength, and spatial awareness to succeed in the NFL. His run protection might need a little work, but nobody’s perfect entering the NFL.
“The tape shows a player whose future in the NFL lies inside at guard, where his massive frame and power-based skill set can be maximized while minimizing his athletic limitations. Savaiinaea’s experience at tackle provides valuable versatility, but his combination of size, power, and technical refinement projects him as a potential day-one starter at right guard in a gap-heavy run scheme,” NDB added.
Where in the Draft for Savaiinaea?
The Consensus Big Board pegs Savaiinaea as the 61st overall pick, also known as the bottom or Round 2. Unless the Vikings have a wild 1st-Round grade on him, he’s a prospect to monitor for Minnesota on Friday night, not Thursday.
Other interior offensive linemen in Savaiinaea’s CBB territory include Marcus Mbow (Purdue) and Tate Ratledge (Georgia). The Vikings even had a Top 30 visit with Mbow, too.
Evidence of a Trade Back?
The peculiar part about Savaiinaea? The Vikings own nothing close to the 61st pick in the draft. To obtain him, at least in theory, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would have to trade back from his No. 24 pick, hoping to stockpile some 2nd- and 3rd-Rounders as compensation.
In fact, meeting with Savaiinaea could be considered fringe evidence that trade down the board is on the way.
Most fans expect such a trade to occur as-is because Minnesota has just four picks in this draft, an NFL low.
2025 Role
Savaiinaea would [hopefully] project to start right away, likely at the left guard spot currently inhabited by Blake Brandel. Minnesota has Michael Jurgens, a 2024 7th-Rounder, at LG2, who could contend for Brandel’s job if a player like Savaiinaea doesn’t join the team.
Interestingly, due to Savaiinaea’s guard-tackle versatility, he could fill in at OT in a pinch, which is noteworthy in 2025. Christian Darrisaw, the team’s starting left tackle, is recovering from a torn ACL. Savaiinaea would be an option for “in the meantime” OT duty.
Savaiinaea is 21.
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