Lunchbreak: Vikings Biggest Draft Needs Could be on Defense

[Viktor]

EAGAN, Minn. — Welcome to draft week.


The three-day 2020 NFL Draft will look different than in previous years, but the responsibility of general managers, coaches and scouts is still the same.


What positions could Minnesota target later this week? Bryan Knowles of Football Outsiders recently wrote that the Vikings could focus on the defensive side of the ball early and often.


Knowles opined that Minnesota's biggest need is at cornerback, an area where the Vikings have lost three starters in recent weeks in Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander.


Knowles wrote:


You could make an argument for any number of positions here; the cupboard is bare, and the Vikings desperately need to restock, with wideout and edge rusher particularly crucial. Cornerback continues to outshine them all, however. Minnesota's strong defensive DVOA came from its pass rush and stellar safeties; cornerbacks were a liability.


Knowles added that Utah cornerback Jaylon Johnson and Clemson's A.J. Terrell could be prospects who fit the Vikings defensive scheme.


While Knowles believes cornerback is Minnesota's biggest need, he added that one of their quieter needs is also on that side of the ball at defensive tackle.


Minnesota released Linval Joseph and added Michael Pierce in free agency, but Knowles believes more depth is needed.


Pierce is one of the strongest guys in the league and is in the conversation about the best run-stuffing linemen in football. He's coming off of a down year, thanks to a bum ankle, but he's a very useful role player. He's also really only a role player, an early-down run-stuffer without a long track record of pass-rushing success. That's an upgrade over the Joseph of 2020, if not the Joseph of days gone by. Alongside him is Shamar Stephen, basically just a rotational piece. While the trade of Stefon Diggs, the release of Josh Kline and the general cornerback exodus all rightfully draw more attention to those positional groups, more depth on the interior would be a welcome addition.


Knowles tabbed Oklahoma's Neville Gallimore as a player who could help out in the trenches.


And while Knowles believes the Vikings will focus on defense, he also noted that tight end likely won't be an area of need later this week.


That leads us to point to tight end as Minnesota's most stocked position. Kyle Rudolph finished in the top three in DYAR for the third season in a row and is coming off the greatest season in his career by DVOA, ranking fifth overall, at 26.9 percent. Last year's second-round pick, Irv Smith, Jr., had a very solid year for a rookie, and Tyler Conklin and Brandon Dillon provide young depth. There really isn't any room for another draftee to make the roster.


The Vikings have 12 scheduled selections in the draft, including two in the first round at No. 22 and 25.