Mel Kiper Unveils Superb Vikings Mock Draft

The NFL Draft is precisely 5 weeks away.

Mel Kiper Unveils Superb Vikings Mock Draft

The Minnesota Vikings have the twenty fourth total choose in Spherical 1 and three choices after that — the fewest within the NFL this go-round.

Basic supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah crossed off all main roster wants throughout free company, so Minnesota can really discover the perfect participant out there at choose No. 24.

And in response to Mel Kiper, by way of his latest post-free company mock draft, it’s Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron for the Vikings.

The Kiper Mock=Jahdae Barron

Kiper related Minnesota to Barron at No. 24 and wrote, “Minnesota made some large splashes in free company because it tries to take the NFC North from the Lions. Amongst them had been offers to re-sign Byron Murphy Jr. and herald Isaiah Rodgers, however I’m undecided the Vikings ought to — or will — be executed including to the cornerback room.”

“Barron, in the meantime, picked off 5 passes final season, displaying his ball expertise. He ran a 4.39 on the mix, displaying his pace. And he performed greater than 600 snaps at each slot nook and outdoors nook over the previous two seasons, displaying his versatility. I actually like this match.”

On the prime of the ticket for Kiper, Miami’s Cam Ward (QB, Miami) went to the Tennessee Titans, Abdul Carter (EDGE, Penn State) to the Cleveland Browns, and Shedeur Sanders (QB, Colorado) landed with the New York Giants.

Two weeks in the past, one other ESPN character, Jordan Reid, also mock-drafted Barron to the Vikings. It’s a theme from that community and this workforce.

The 2025 Purple CB Room

To this point this offseason, Minnesota has re-upped with Professional Bowl nook Byron Murphy Jr., added Isaiah Rodgers and Jeff Okduah, and accommodated a number of depth defensive backs who will vie for roster spots at coaching camp and within the preseason.

That is Minnesota’s new look CB group, with newcomers in daring:

Different free brokers like Mike Hilton, Asante Samuel Jr., and Rasul Douglas stay out there on the open market as of March twentieth, however Barron may grow to be the 2025 offseason cake-topper at cornerback.

If Not Barron — Who?

The Vikings have notably signed Ryan Kelly (C), Will Fries (G), Jonathan Allen (DT), Javon Hargrave (DT), Isaiah Rodgers (CB), Jeff Okudah (CB), and Rondale Moore (WR) in free company along with extending Aaron Jones (RB), Byron Murphy Jr. (CB), Theo Jackson (S), and Harrison Smith (S).

And that’s all earlier than the draft.

If it’s not Barron however Minnesota nonetheless needs a cornerback, males like Trey Amos (Ole Miss), Maxwell Hairston (Kentucky), Benjamin Morrison (Notre Dame), Shavon Revel Jr. (East Carolina), and Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State) needs to be out there.

Ought to Adofo-Mensah choose the offensive line, gamers like Tyler Booker (iOL, Alabama) and Gray Zabel (iOL, North Dakota State) would make sense. At defensive deal with, Walter Nolen (Ole Miss), Kenneth Grant (Michigan), and Derrick Harmon (Oregon) would match properly in purple.

The Protection, On the Entire

Minnesota’s protection ranked second per DVOA in 2024 underneath Brian Flores and improved markedly from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns. With 2024 free-agent newcomers Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman, the Vikings’ protection grew to become a lethal unit and can look to get even higher in 2025 with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, two new defensive tackles, within the combine.

Barron, 23, is 5’11 and recognized for his versatility, a doable perk for Flores. 

The Draft Network noted on Barron’s scouting report: “Along with his versatility, Barron can play security, nickel, and linebacker, and he has the psychological capability to know his duties in any state of affairs. He sees the sector fantastically from his ‘STAR’ position and exhibits off his anticipatory expertise on a down-to-down foundation. Unafraid to set off downhill towards the run or boundary screens, Barron’s click-and-close is extremely sudden.”

Followers would universally reward the Barron choose if he falls to No. 24. Ebook it.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the College of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The present options visitors, evaluation, and opinion on all issues associated to the purple workforce, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates again to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doorways (the band). He follows the NBA as carefully as the NFL. 

All statistics supplied by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual data supplied by OverTheCap.com.