2021 NFL Draft: Exploring the Minnesota Vikings’ options with the 14th pick

Help out Hunter

While it’s clear that the Vikings’ pass protection woes should not go unattended this offseason, they don’t necessarily have to be addressed in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

There’s still the free agency market to test, which opens on the 15th of March. Veterans like Washington’s Brandon Scherff and New England’s Joe Thuney are possible candidates to fill the holes on offense, assuming some cap space is freed up. It’s also possible to find quality blockers after Day 1. The point is, the first round should not be “offensive line or bust.”

The next option considers the need for a quality pass rush a top priority for the Vikings this offseason. In 2020, with star edge rusher Danielle Hunter out due to injury, Minnesota’s front four could only produce 22 sacks on the season. To put that stat into perspective, Hunter accounted for 14.5 sacks alone in 2019.

Drafting some help along the defensive line is the first step to returning to the earlier days of Zimmer’s tenure as head coach, which saw him wheel out some excellent defensive units. What’s better, there will likely be a veritable smorgasbord of candidates to choose from at 14th overall.

Miami’s Gregory Rousseau is one to consider. He played wide receiver and defensive back in high school, and that, coupled with the fact Rousseau opted out of the Hurricanes’ 2020 season, means he’s inexperienced as a pass rusher. Despite this, Rousseau was able to post an impressive 15.5 sacks and 19.5 TFL in his sophomore 2019 season.

If the Minnesota Vikings opt to partner him with Hunter, they will have to be patient as he develops a more polished technique and better learns how to take advantage of his physical gifts.

While selecting Rousseau would make for a dynamic bookend duo, I believe that strengthening what was a porous interior defensive line would serve the Vikings better. For that reason, I think Alabama IDL Christian Barmore is the pick.

For those of you that want to know more about what makes him so intriguing, I’ve written an in-depth scouting profile that you can read here. In short, he offers an ability to rush the passer effectively using both raw power and finesse, he’s strong enough to drive blockers back and collapse the pocket on opposing QBs, and he’s more than capable of being an efficient run stopper at the next level.

With both Hunter coming back and ex-Raven Michael Pierce filling the NT spot on the line next season, the addition of Barmore as a 3-tech pass rusher would surely make the Vikings’ front four a formidable unit once again.