Who should the Minnesota Vikings be looking at in the 2019 NFL Draft? Here are some players the team should have an eye on from the next rookie crop. The 2019 NFL Draft is rapidly approaching and teams like the Minnesota Vikings are working hard to evaluate all the talent available in this year’s rookie crop. Of course, drafting smart can help the team get to the next level while missing on picks are blown opportunities. The Vikings are projected to have eight picks in the 2019 NFL Draft assuming they don’t deal any more picks away. The biggest change from the previous seven-round mock is that Minnesota loses a projected compensatory pick after the release of quarterback Sam Bradford. Minnesota holds the rights to the 18th overall pick based on their record at the end of the season. Here are the selections the team will be expected to have (note: original team picks are in bold): Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 6 Round 6 (Projected Compensatory – Teddy Bridgewater) Round 7 (Projected Compensatory – Tramaine Brock) Round 7 (Projected Compensatory – Shamar Stephen) Here are the picks the Vikings no longer own the rights to since they were traded away: Round 5 : Traded to Broncos for Trevor Siemian : Traded to Broncos for Trevor Siemian Round 7: Traded to Giants for Brett Jones For the purpose of this seven-round mock draft, the big boards from CBS Sports and DraftTek will be used for estimation to determine which players might be available when the Minnesota Vikings are on the clock. Let’s get started! (all stats via SportsReference unless noted)<doc-sep>The Minnesota Vikings hold the 18th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Here’s an early look at potential needs and draftees. The Minnesota Vikings will pick 18th in the 2019 NFL Draft after finishing the 2018 season at 8-7-1. The Vikings currently only have five selections in this year’s draft, barring any future trades or compensatory picks. They’ll have selections in rounds one, two, three, four and six. As for who they should consider and what positions they should be targeting, offensive line remains the biggest concern on the roster. After general manager Rick Spielman brought in Riley Reiff, Mike Remmers and Tom Compton in free agency, it’s become increasingly clear that the Vikings have an O-line problem. Second-year center Pat Elflein took a step back from his impressive rookie season and rookie right tackle Brian O’Neill had his issues, as well. That said, both players are likely cornerstones for the offensive line going forward, so the Vikings should focus on both guard spots and a backup left tackle. On defense, outside linebacker becomes a need if Anthony Barr signs elsewhere in free agency. Defensive tackle is another concern if Sheldon Richardson and/or Tom Johnson don’t re-sign. Running back and wide receiver are other positions the Vikings could target to shore up depth, especially since Latavius Murray is unlikely to be back next season. Listed below are some prospects Vikings fans should get used to hearing ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft. Early-round targets OT Jonah Williams, Alabama OT Yodny Cajuste, West Virgina OT Greg Little, Ole Miss OT Dalton Risner, Kansas State OT David Edwards, Wisconsin OT Jawaan Taylor, Florida OT Kaleb McGary, Washington OG Cody Ford, Oklahoma OG Martez Ivey, Florida OG Darryl Williams, Mississippi State OLB TJ Edwards, Wisconsin OLB Te’von Coney, Notre Dame DT Christian Wilkins, Clemson DT Jerry Tillery, Notre Dame DT Dexter Lawrence, Clemson DT Dre’Mont Jones, Ohio State DT Quinnen Williams, Alabama DT Jeffery Simmons, Mississippi State DT Ed Oliver, Houston RB David Montgomery, Iowa State RB Damien Harris, Alabama RB Justice Hill, Oklahoma State RB Miles Sanders, Penn State RB Josh Jacobs, Alabama The good news for the Vikings is this year’s defensive line class is stacked with talent. Waiting on drafting that position until the second or third-round could prove beneficial. It seems like no matter what, though, their first pick should be spent on an offensive lineman. With only five picks (for the moment) in the 2019 draft, Minnesota will need to choose wisely.<doc-sep>In my first mock draft of the year, I had the Jaguars trading up to No. 4 to select Dwayne Haskins. Because mock drafts this early are nothing if not thought experiments to see how the board could fall come April, I wanted to switch things up this time around. Instead, I had the Jaguars trade up to No. 3. Who knows if they're going to fall in love with Haskins over the predraft process? But it's undeniable that they need to fix the QB position to return to contention, and if that means trading up to ensure they get their guy, that's what they should do. Another key change for this mock: Rather than sending Josh Allen to the 49ers at No. 2, I had John Lynch just go BPA and take the guy I think is the only clear blue-chipper outside of NIck Bosa. With those changes at two and three, we'll see how the mock draft unfolds differently from there. One guy you won't find below is Kyler Murray. I'm still not sure he's going to give up baseball to play football just yet, and without that 100 percent commitment from NFL teams, I don't expect any team to use a high draft pick on him. That, like everything else associated with mock drafting, is subject to change. 1. Arizona Cardinals Nick Bosa, EDGE, Ohio State. Bosa has been the clear No. 1 prospect for most, if not all, of the 2018 season, and he would be a great fit opposite Chandler Jones to give the Cardinals a dangerous pass rush. I could also see them auctioning off this pick and targeting offensive line help if they move down. But someone would have to blow them away to pass on Bosa. Stream Sunday's playoff games on fuboTV, try it for free, and stream the CBS games on CBS All Access. 2. San Francisco 49ers Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama. The 49ers would certainly prefer an edge rusher here, but if Williams establishes that he's leaps and bounds better than the rest of the prospects available, will John Lynch really be able to pass on him for less of a sure thing? We're still a long ways away from determining who emerges as the cream of the crop, but right now I have a tier drop after Bosa and Williams, and if that's ultimately what happens, Williams should be in play for the 49ers if Bosa is gone. 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (NYJ mock trade) Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State. If the Jaguars want to ensure they get their preferred quarterback, this is at least as far as they need to move. Each of the next three teams probably think they're set at quarterback for 2019, but if Haskins blows the doors off the predraft process, who knows? Unless every quarterback falls flat over the next few months, expect some jockeying at the top of the draft to grab the No. 1 option. With this trade, the Jets help offset the cost it took to move up for Sam Darnold last year. 4. Oakland Raiders Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky. Allen could have entered the draft last year but the odds were slim that someone would have taken him in the first round. Now, unless he has a terrible predraft season, he's almost certain to go in the top five after a year where he doubled his sack total (to 14) after adding weight. 5. Miami Dolphins (TB mock trade) Daniel Jones, QB, Duke. Jones beat up Temple in the Independence Bowl and should be ticketed for a pick in the top half of the first round, but he has the ability to tear up the predraft process and cause a QB-needy team to jump up the board for him. After the Dolphins saw the Bills and Cardinals trade ahead of them and get their quarterbacks last year, they could decide to take the plunge, no matter the report that they're eyeing 2020 to draft a QB. 6. New York Giants Jonah Williams, OT, Alabama. The protection on the offensive line was nothing but a rumor for much of 2018, and if the team is going to put themselves in the best position to succeed, addressing those issues should be priority No. 1. Williams doesn't have the arm length many teams crave, but he makes up for it with his technique. The best part is he doesn't have to come in as a blindside blocker with the Giants, as he can adjust to the NFL at right tackle before an eventual move to the left side in 2020 if Nate Solder doesn't live up to his contract. 7. New York Jets (JAC mock trade) Clelin Ferrell, EDGE, Clemson. The Jets would do well to sit at No. 3 and take Allen, but if a QB-needy team bowls them over with a trade offer, why not recoup some of the draft capital they spent trading up for Sam Darnold last year? Ferrell has 36.5 tackles for loss and 21 sacks over his last two seasons, but he's also an excellent run defender and would give New York a three-down talent on the edge. 8. Detroit Lions Greedy Williams, CB, LSU. The Lions should have the opportunity to add an impact player to their defensive line, but they also need to boost their talent in the secondary, and one way they can do that is by taking the best corner prospect in this year's draft. Williams is an excellent man cornerback who still has room to grow, and teams thinking about taking him will hope he has a Patrick Peterson-type ceiling in the NFL. 9. Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver, DT, Houston. The Bills said goodbye to a fixture on the interior of the defensive line on Sunday in Kyle Williams, so why not use this pick on someone who can be the same thing for the next decade? Oliver is an absolute monster at blowing up inside blocking, as his 53 tackles for loss in three seasons attest.<doc-sep>A week ago, we all assumed Kyler Murray was going to play baseball. Then, last Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Murray was expected to declare for the 2019 NFL Draft. On Sunday, more reports emerged: The Oakland A's were trying to convince Murray to stick with baseball and a decision could be reached by Monday. If this was 2012, Murray wouldn't even consider declaring -- he was a top-10 pick of the Oakland A's and he'd be lucky to go in the third round of the NFL Draft. Which is exactly what happened to Russell Wilson. But Wilson's sustained success, and with what Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson accomplished as rookies, Murray is absolutely a first-round talent. And Murray's addition to this draft class could hasten a run on quarterbacks by teams desperate for them. It's why we have the Jaguars and Redskins trading up for one, and why four quarterbacks are off the board after 11 picks. In other mock-draft news, we have the Steelers drafting a wide receiver since is sounds like Antonio Brown has played his last game in black and gold. Alright, let's get to all the picks. 1. Arizona Cardinals Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State. On a team chock full of holes, edge rusher isn't at the top of the to-do list. That said, it's hard to pass on a talent like Bosa, who can take over games. There isn't an offensive linemen worth taking this high and the Cardinals find themselves in full-on rebuild mode less than a year after hiring Steve Wilks and drafting Josh Rosen in the first round. 2. Jacksonville Jaguars (mock trade with 49ers) Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State. The Jaguars get their franchise quarterback, which officially ends the Blake Bortles era in Jacksonville. The only question becomes how long before Haskins, who finally declared for the draft, assumes the starting job full-time. 3. New York Jets Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky. Is Josh Allen the best pass rusher in the draft? That will be decided in the coming weeks and months, but no one did more for their draft stock than Allen, who returned to Kentucky for his senior season and went off. After seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss in 2017, Allen gained 10-15 pounds of muscle and put up 14 sacks and 18.5 tackles for loss and was pretty much unblockable. 4. Oakland Raiders Quinnen Williams, DL, Alabama. Williams might be the second-best player in this draft, which is why the Raiders are taking him here even though defensive tackle isn't an immediate need. Williams has been one of the most dominant players in college football, and this is after sitting behind Da'Ron Payne (a Redskins first-rounder last spring) in 2017. Oakland needs an edge rusher but Williams is a one-man pocket-collapser from the interior. 5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Brian Burns, EDGE, Florida State. Burns is a long, lean, explosive pass rusher. At 235-240 pounds, the concern is whether he's strong enough to play the position at the next level, but Burns isn't just a speed rusher; he's also strong, and has the frame to get stronger. Jason Pierre-Paul had 12.5 sacks but he ranked 80th among all edge rushers, according to Pro Football Focus. 6. New York Giants Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma. General manger Dave Gettleman sure sounds like he's content to bring Eli Manning back for another season but imagine the Giants offense with Murray under center, Saquon Barkley in the backfield, and Odell Beckham and Evan Engram running routes. Woo boy. 7. San Francisco 49ers (mock trade with Jaguars) Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson. Ferrell was one of the stars of the best defensive line in college football, and he finished his junior season with 11.5 sacks and 20 tackles for loss. There may be questions about Ferrell's flexibility compared to the other first-round pass rushers but there's no denying his Clemson production. In fact, on first downs during the 2018 season, Ferrell ranked among the top-10 players in the country in sacks (5), hurries (12), hits (10), knockdowns (5) and pressures (17). 8. Detroit Lions Byron Murphy, CB, Washington. When it's all said and done Murphy could be the first cornerback taken. He's an athletic playmaker with game-changing ability. Darius Slay had a good season for the Lions but coach Matt Patricia could use a top-flight cornerback on a defense that ranked 31st against the pass, according to Football Outsiders. 9. Buffalo Bills Ed Oliver, DT, Houston. Kyle Williams is retiring and Oliver, considered a top-5 pick during the college season, would be a steal here. There are questions about his size, and whether he can hold up over a 16-game season, but he's consistently disruptive in both the run and pass game. 10. Denver Broncos Daniel Jones, QB, Duke. Is Case Keenum the answer in 2019? New coach Vic Fangio said Keenum is the Broncos' quarterback "right now." Either way, we know general manager John Elway would love to upgrade the position. There's a reason he was closely watching Justin Herbert this season and now that he's returned to Oregon, Elway could turn his attention to other draft-eligible passers. After a good 2018 season, Jones could improve his stock with a strong showing at the Senior Bowl. 11. Washington Redskins (mock trade with Bengals) Drew Lock, QB, Missouri. Alex Smith suffered a gruesome injury in November and it's unclear if the 34-year-old will be fully recovered by training camp. Lock has the best arm of this quarterback class -- he reminds us of Jay Cutler -- and he would answer at least one of the looming offseason questions for this franchise and its beleaguered fanbase. 12. Green Bay Packers Jachai Polite, EDGE, Florida. Polite, who had a breakout season at Florida, has an explosive first step and off-the-chart physical abilities. His knack for getting in the backfield was unrivaled at times this fall. And while Kyler Fackrell has had a breakout season in Green Bay, Clay Matthews is 32 and in the final year of his contract. 13. Miami Dolphins Greedy Williams, CB, LSU.<doc-sep>
Mel Kiper is one of the biggest names out there when it comes to NFL Draft coverage and, even in the rise of other outlets, his mock drafts still turn heads when they are released. His latest for ESPN should be of interest to Minnesota Vikings fans, as he has the team using the No. 18 overall pick in the first round to address their biggest need by fire, which is reinforcements along the offensive line. Kiper currently has Ole Miss left tackle Greg Little pegged to the team with that selection. He may have as much upside as any tackle in the class, but he does point out a reason that he could be available at the back half of the first round. "There's a case to be made that Little is the best true left tackle in this class. He's certainly the most talented," he writes. "The former five-star high school prospect was inconsistent at times in college, but he should take off in an NFL strength and conditioning program. Coach Mike Zimmer loves guys who get after quarterbacks too, so that's going to be in consideration here." Little has had the spotlight on him for awhile now, as he was the nation's third-ranked player and top-ranked offensive tackle coming out of the 2016 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. The former five-star prospect did not always flash that potential in college, but was a stalwart on the Rebels' offensive line and declared early for the draft this winter after his junior season. Most projections have him listed as a first round talent heading into the pre-draft process. Alabama's Jonah Williams and Oklahoma's Cody Ford are the two other players that have been mentioned in various mocks as potential fits for the Vikings with their first round pick. Minnesota drafted a tackle last season in Brian O'Neill in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft and he figures to be in their future plans there after a somewhat encouraging rookie campaign. From there, all four spots left on the offensive line in Minnesota could easily be upgraded and the draft should yield no shortage of potential replacements. (The Vikings blew their chance at a postseason berth and now face a critical offseason of decisions --Don't miss any of the action! Sign up for our FREE Vikings newsletter here!) The offseason is already underway for the Vikings as they work to build for the 2019 season and beyond. The NFL Combine from Indianapolis is set for Feb. 26 through March 4 before the start of free agency and the new league year on March 13. The 2019 NFL Draft kicks off from Nashville, Tennessee on April 25, 2019 and runs through April 27, 2019. The first round will be held on Thursday night, followed by the second and third round on Friday night and will conclude with rounds four through seven on Saturday.