Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock draft: Two first-round pick set the tone

Round 5

The Minnesota Vikings boast one of the best safety pairings in the NFL, however, with backups Jayron Kearse and Andrew Sendejo leaving in free agency, there is no depth behind starters Anthony Harris and Harrison Smith. In addition to the lack of depth at the position, the Vikings tagged Anthony Harris leading to uncertainty at the position with trade rumors swirling.

Julian Blackmon was a three-year starter and immediately saw the field as a true freshman. After earning second team All-Pac-12 accolades as a corner his sophomore and junior seasons, Blackmon transferred to safety for his senior year. Despite the highly ranked corner Jaylon Johnson playing in the same secondary, Blackmon led the team with four interceptions.

Minnesota would be a perfect landing spot for Blackmon where he could see the field his rookie season lining up at both corner and safety. Blackmon provides depth at either position while he has the ability to line up against tight ends and the talent to grow into a starting safety role.

Round 6

With five picks between rounds six and seven, it is possible the Vikings will bundle some of their late-round selections to possibly move up in the second or third round to jump on a player that can start immediately at a position not selected with their first-round picks. The Vikings will need to add depth across the defensive line and pick up four-year starting defensive tackle, Raequan Williams.

Williams is an accomplished college tackle and elected to return to Michigan State for his redshirt senior year. Williams was a three-time All-Big-Ten selection but will likely not replicate his success to the pro level. Williams lacks the initial burst to make an immediate impact as a pro but has the athleticism to provide depth as a late-round pick.

While the Vikings signed Tajea Sharpe in free agency and added a receiver in the early rounds of this mock draft, they will likely use more than one pick to address the loss of production from the Diggs trade. FCS prospect Isaiah Coulter provides an interesting option in the later rounds of the draft.

Coulter is a talented wideout with 4.45 speed and measures at 6-foot-2. After starting three years at Rhode Island, Coulter declared for the draft after a season pulling in 72 receptions and over 1,000 yards. He has almost identical combine measurements as top prospect Jerry Jeudy with coachable limitations that indicate he could develop into a starting receiver.