Saturday, April 17, 2021

Minnesota Vikings 2021 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 9.0

Throughout the year and leading up to the 2021 NFL draft, we will update our Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Minnesota Vikings from several prominent sites and draft analysts.

The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Vikings:

EDSFootball - Hanson (4/15)

14. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL)

Trading for Yannick Ngakoue before the 2020 season, the Vikings should have had a dynamic 1-2 pass-rush duo with Danielle Hunter and Ngakoue. Not only did Hunter miss all of 2020, but the Vikings traded away Ngakoue only six games into his Minnesota tenure. Even so, the short-term Viking still led the team with five sacks. Meanwhile, Hunter is unhappy with his current contract.

It was an atypical journey for Phillips from the nation's top high school recruit to potential first-round pick. After briefly "retiring" from football and transferring to Miami from UCLA, everything came together for the gifted edge rusher as he recorded eight sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss over 10 games in his lone season in Coral Gables.

Fox Sports - Rang (4/15)

14. Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Miami (FL)

In part due to the loss of star pass rusher Danielle Hunter to injury, the Vikings were plundered defensively in 2020. Mike Zimmer will push to make sure reinforcements arrive via the draft and Phillips, while a bit of a gamble due to durability concerns, is viewed by scouts as the best overall pass rusher in this class.

CBS Sports - Jones (4/14)

17. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

The Vikings only had one pick in the top 75 before this trade and Rick Spielman needed more. Darrisaw provides great value to Minnesota because he can play tackle and guard, and they need both positions.

Washington Post - Clayton (4/14)

14. Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

The Vikings have a need for a pass-rushing defensive end. There isn't a consensus among teams as to who the best edge rusher is in this year's draft, but at 6-foot-4, 271 pounds, Paye's size and athleticism would make him a nice fit in Minnesota opposite Danielle Hunter.

The Athletic - Brugler (4/14)

14. Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

The Vikings haven't drafted a defensive end in the first two rounds since 2005 (Erasmus James). So history says pass rusher won't be the pick. But Minnesota ranked in the bottom five last season in sacks, and Paye has the athletic tools to be equally effective vs. the pass and the run.

Yahoo Sports! - Edholm (4/13)

14. Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Maybe Mike Zimmer was being coy when he said after the season that he liked where his offense was at. An offensive lineman could make sense, but don't they at least want to see if 2020 second-rounder Ezra Cleveland can play left tackle?

Paye might not be a sexy pick to some, but his upside is intriguing if he can channel his athleticism into better pass-rush results. The Vikings need bodies up front.

ESPN - Kiper (4/13)

14. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech

That's four mock drafts for the 2021 class for me, and four offensive linemen to Minnesota in the first round. It's a glaring hole on this roster. Darrisaw was outstanding at left tackle for the Hokies last season; our Stats & Info team tracked him at 264 total pass-block plays, and he allowed just three pressures and one sack. Put him at left tackle on Day 1 for the Vikings.

NFL.com - Schrager (4/8)

14. Kwity Paye, EDGE, Michigan

Paye improved every year at the college level and can play all three downs. He's as polished as any of the QB hunters in this class. Minnesota needs pass-rush help ASAP.

Previous update: Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Roundup 8.0

MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups

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