2021 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings seven-round mock draft
By Ian Higgins
Minnesota Vikings 2021 mock draft: Round Four
College Stats. Darius Stills. 110. 60. Scouting Report. DT. West Virginia. player
At six-foot-one, 285-pounds, West Virginia defensive tackle Darius Stills fills a very specific mold within his position group and sports a skillset that could solve the Minnesota Viking’s pass-rush woes from the inside.
Lacking upwards of 15-pounds on many opposing offensive linemen, Stills uses his quickness and lateral agility to work his way outside of the functional reach of centers and guards to work downhill to their outside hip and then to the quarterback.
A natural mover off of stunts and twists, Stills offers defensive coordinators the unique opportunity to scheme their defensive tackle open for easy pressure (reminiscent of Aaron Donald).
Using this same aggressive approach in run-defense, Stills is unconventional but effective when schemed correctly. Much of the time though, Stills will overpursue the play or miss altogether and leave his unit down a man on the play-side.
Until Stills can incorporate enough natural strength to hold his ground in the run game, he will operate as a situational pass-rusher who can excel in his craft.
Kary Vincent Jr. 116. player. 60. Scouting Report. College Stats. CB. LSU
Looking to improve an otherwise unimpressive secondary, the Minnesota Vikings opt for athleticism in an effort to acquire impactful talent in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Projected to run in the 4.3’s, LSU track-star Kary Vincent Jr brings this dimension of raw speed to a Vikings secondary unable to match the current wave of speed-centric wideouts entering the NFL.
Vincent Jr has been an explosive member of the LSU secondary, displaying a knack for making plays on the ball with his range and aggression. At only five-foot-10, Vincent Jr may struggle to operate in press-coverage against prolific receivers sporting imposing physicality but still offers the ability to match undersized wide receivers who excel with the ball in their hands.
Currently led by Cameron Dantzler and Jeff Gladney, the Minnesota Vikings cornerback group lacks raw talent that would typically be found at the top of the draft order. With other team needs dominating their draft board, the Minnesota Vikings need to find high-value selections through the middle rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Scouting Report. College Stats. Duke. 125. 60. EDGE. Victor Dimukeje. player
With their third selection of the 2021 NFL Draft spent on the defensive line and their second selection devoted to rebuilding their pass-rush, the Minnesota Vikings welcome another generic 4-3 defensive end with refined technique only capped by athletic capability.
With 16 sacks over the course of the past two seasons (22 games) for the Blue Devils, Victor Dimukeje makes the most of his stocky six-foot-two, 265-pound build. Despite not possessing the best length for an edge-rusher, Dimukeje does well to get into the chest of the offensive lineman and shuck them aside with proficient hand-usage.
Dimukeje is not going to blow offensive tackles out of the water with explosiveness off of the snap nor a physical bullrush but makes the best of the tools he does have to leverage himself against the run.
Capped by his athletic potential, Dimukeje is a sufficient plug-and-play option found in the middle-rounds of the 2021 NFL Draft to hopefully offer an immediate solution to the Minnesota Vikings’ current defensive issues.