Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Minnesota Vikings 2022 NFL Mock Draft Roundup 7.0

Throughout the year and leading up to the 2022 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:

ESPN - Mel Kiper (4/13)

12. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

This is a great fit for both sides. The Vikings could get a corner with an elite, All-Pro ceiling and plug a hole, while Stingley could join a team with a few other former LSU stars (Justin Jefferson, Danielle Hunter, Patrick Peterson). The worry on Stingley is that his best tape is from 2019, when he starred as a true freshman. Can he return to form in the NFL -- and stay healthy? That's a risk teams will have to consider. Still, I feel better making that bet at No. 12 than if I was picking in the top five.

The Draft Network - Keith Sanchez (4/13)

12. Jordan Davis, IDL, Georgia

The Vikings' defense has been bad for a couple of years now, specifically the rush defense. It's been a bit since the Vikings have had a formidable defensive lineman than can be a force in the middle and make it hard for teams to run on them. I think the Vikings selecting Jordan Davis is a step in the right direction and will only help them improve from last year.

NFL.com - Lance Zierlein (4/12)

12. Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame

Hamilton's pedestrian 40 time causes a mini-slide and allows the Vikings to scoop him up and pair him with Harrison Smith on the back end.

CBS Sports - Will Brinson (4/12)

12. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

There are multiple connections with Stingley, LSU and the Vikings, specifically with Patrick Peterson potentially serving as a CB mentor and Justin Jefferson having played with Stingley on the Tigers championship team. The Vikings need a corner and Stingley should be here.

PFF - Anthony Treash (4/11)

12. Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington

A season ago, the Vikings outside cornerbacks gave up the third-most yards league-wide (1,802) while tying for the third-fewest plays on the ball (18). And so far, they've made no moves to address that area of need. Enter Trent McDuffie, who earned an 80.0-plus PFF grade as a true freshman, sophomore and junior at Washington.

The 5-foot-11, 193-pound corner allowed just 111 yards across 296 coverage snaps in 2021. He is a fantastic zone cover corner, and his awareness, athleticism, physicality and tackling ability will make him an issue for any underneath passing offense.

ESPN - Jordan Reid (4/11)

12. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

The Vikings still need a corner, even after bringing back Patrick Peterson. Plus, there are already a lot of LSU connections on the roster. Along with Peterson, the Vikings recently hired Darone Jones, the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Tigers a season ago.

Ability isn't the question with Stingley -- it's availability. He has missed 13 games over the past two seasons after a standout freshman season in 2019. Minnesota could bet on the traits to overcome the durability concerns and select Stingley here, which is where I see the floor of his draft range.

CBS Sports - Ryan Wilson (4/11)

12. Derek Stingley Jr., CB, LSU

Stingley didn't workout at the combine but lit it up at his pro day last week. He only played three games in '21, but it's hard to forget just how dominant he was in '19 as a freshman, where he spent practices going up against Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall and Racey McMath. If he was eligible two years ago he would've been a top-5 pick. He remains a ball hawk, not to mention an asset in the return game and he'll only last this long because hasn't played a lot of football in the last 12 months. The team just re-upped Patrick Peterson, but it was only on a one-year deal.

MORE TEAMS: All NFL Team Mock Draft Roundups

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