Minnesota Vikings: Trade targets in the 2021 NFL Draft
By David Glancy
The most likely trade the Minnesota Vikings make during the 2021 NFL Draft is moving their significant draft capital in rounds three and four to move into the second round. Minnesota has a total of 10 draft picks this spring, nine of those picks falling between rounds three and six. Speilman will have the Vikings look to move into the second round and could bundle a combination of third and fourth-round picks to move up.
Where Minnesota moves up will depend on how the second round shakes up and which teams are looking to move back and acquire additional draft picks. While the ideal scenario would allow the Vikings to trade back in the first while still selecting a top lineman and a second-rounder, Minnesota could still add a top player off the board at 14 while trading into the second to fill out their offensive or defensive line.
After using a first-round pick on either Christian Darrisaw or Alijah Vera-Tucker, the Minnesota Vikings enter the second round looking to take their top-rated player at an edge position or in the secondary. The Vikings made an effort to improve their pass rush and secondary through free agency but would like to solidify the future of each group through the Draft.
With two first-round picks at six and 18 and the 36th overall pick, the Dolphins could be in a position to move down and acquire additional capital in the 2021 or 2022 NFL Draft.
The Vikings are then in a position to add either an edge rusher or a lineman if Speilman neglects to address the offensive line in the first round. Assuming the Vikings take an offensive lineman, they use the 50th overall pick acquired from Miami on Oklahoma defensive end, Ronnie Perkins. Perkins has good speed and is an effective pass rusher or inside rush threat, allowing Minnesota to develop another pass rusher opposite Hunter.
If the Vikings were to address their defense in the first round by drafting either a top corner or end, expect the Vikings to use their newly-acquired second-round pick to address whichever line spot Cleveland does not occupy this fall.
Ideal first-round targets for Vikings. dark. Next
Minnesota could draft Ohio State right guard Wyatt Davis or Alabama flex tackle/guard Alex Leatherwood as plug-and-play options, moving Cleveland back to left tackle. If the Minnesota Vikings decided to keep Cleveland at guard, they could use the second-round pick on tackles Jaylen Mayfield of Michigan, Dillon Radunz of North Dakota State, Brady Christensen of BYU, or Jackson Carman of Clemson.