Minnesota Vikings 7 Round Mock Draft: Getting Younger

Round 4: Ben Bredeson, Interior Offensive Lineman, Michigan

The Vikings, like every other year, need offensive line help. Especially on the interior. Elflein clearly is not the answer at left guard as he struggled all season long. Josh Kline was solid to start the season but his performance started to go downhill towards the end of the year.

Bredeson is someone who is not very flashy at anything he does, but he is incredibly solid. He’s not the best athlete, but he does an incredible job at finishing blocks and winning with power and strength. He is very good in the run game by maintaining a strong anchor to create holes downfield for the back.

As mentioned, Bredeson is not a great athlete, which did not hinder him to much in college due to his strength, but at the next level he will need to become a better mover, because in the NFL his power won’t be enough to win every snap like it was in college.

Round 6: Antonio Gandy-Golden, Wide Receiver, Liberty

For the longest time, Minnesota has needed a reliable third receiver. They seem to like Bisi Johnson enough to keep him there on the depth chart, and with the Vikings transitioning to a lot of two and three tight end looks with multiple backs, you don’t see very many multi-receiver play designs.

However, AGG is the best player available on the board and he is exactly the type of receiver that Minnesota needs on the roster. A big bodied receiver that can go up and get contested passes. That is exactly what Gandy-Golden is.

He is not the most diverse route runner, and does not have elite speed but in the sixth round taking a 6 foot 4, big bodied receiver with incredible body control, built for the big plays, sounds like a good idea.

Round 7: Gage Cervenka, Interior Offensive Lineman, Clemson

At this point in the draft it is taking a combination of best player available, and addressing need. As stated earlier the Minnesota Vikings need interior offensive line help, hence why Cervenka is the second name on the list going up north.

Similarly to Bredeson, Cervenka is a big powerful interior lineman, a lot like the other Clemson offensive lineman we have seen come out under Dabo Swinney over the last few years. However he is incredibly raw and will need some coaching to clean up his technique, hand usage and footwork, but in the seventh a developmental project at a position of need is worth it.

Round 7: Carter Coughlin, EDGE, Minnesota

This pick just seems to make too much sense. Minnesota player gets drafted to the Minnesota Vikings. Coughlin is someone that is expected to be drafted higher than round seven, but if still here Minnesota can jump on him here.

Really good athlete, that is not necessarily a scheme fit for Minnesota as he is projected more of a 3-4 outside linebacker as opposed to a 4-3 defensive end, but the story of a Minnesota Gopher being drafted to his hometown Vikings just made sense here.