Uncover the Vikings' top draft targets, from S-tier game-changers requiring bold moves to A-tier difference-makers and solid B-tier starters.
The Minnesota Vikings have begun to narrow down who exactly they will pick in a given scenario. After exhausting scouting reports for several players, one would assume they have gone over several scenarios for how the first round will play out and who they might select.
We have our own idea of who we'd like the Vikings to select. Let's tier all the possible picks and see where they might fall in the Vikings' draft likelihood.
The first tier, the S-Tier of potential selections are the players that would steal the show in the NFL draft. Several of these players Minnesota would have to trade up to get, and few if any would fault them for trading up if they did. The list of these players includes Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs.
Nobody expects the Vikings to draft either player. If they did, they would have to likely trade into the No. 10 pick range to have a realistic shot. If they are able to pull it off, it would be a massive coup, and either player would almost certainly completely transform their side of the football.
The A-tier of players includes Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, Auburn edge rusher Keldric Faulk, LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano and Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy. These are players who don't carry the same transformative ability that Love and Downs bring but have the potential to make a splash as soon as they step onto the field.
Auburn Tigers defensive end Keldric Faulk (15) celebrates a stop as Auburn Tigers take on South Alabama Jaguars at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Jake Crandall/ Advertiser-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesMany believe if not for injury, McCoy would be the clear-cut best cornerback prospect in the entire draft ahead of LSU's Mansoor Delane. That said, Delane has flashed brilliance in his own right. Undoubtedly, Vikings fans would welcome him to the fold though drafting him or McCoy may also necessitate a small move forward in the draft.
The Oregon duo poses a significant athletic upgrade. Thieneman has impressed with testing numbers, but Sadiq passes the eye test for an athletic mismatch at the tight end position.
The B-tier of solid picks that have a strong chance to pan out as starters includes Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood, Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Ohio State defensive tackle Kayden McDonald and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods.
None of the above players are unanimously going to be considered a steal at No. 18. All of them possess the ability for fans to say, "Hmm, that pick makes sense."
The Vikings will hope to get their choice when they select in the first round.