Some teams, like the Packers in 2020, don’t necessarily have to rely on their draft classes to be good in the short term.
This past season, Green Bay already had so much talent that despite lackluster rookies, the Packers won the NFC North.
The Vikings do not have that luxury. Minnesota needs its first-year players to earn big roles right away, just so that the team can try for a bounce-back season.
So the NFL draft in 2021 is of the utmost importance. There’s an argument to be made that the Vikings should trade back at No. 14, but if they don’t, here are some prospects they could select:
Alabama DT Christian Barmore
Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater
Photo: Thomas J. Russo/USA TODAY Sports
Michigan DT Kwity Paye
Photo: Mike Carter/USA TODAY Sports
Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
Syndication: The Montgomery Advertiser
Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
Photo: Gary Cosby Jr/The Tuscaloosa News via USA TODAY Sports
Miami DE Gregory Rousseau
Photo: Sam Navarro/USA TODAY Sports
USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports
South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
