Category: Mock Drafts

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks brings Vikings help on defense in mock draft

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks brings a bona fide pass rusher to Brian Flores and the Minnesota defense.

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks released his Mock Draft 1.0 as the first 28 spots have been solidified with the conclusion of the divisional round of the playoffs.

With the 11th pick, Brooks called in some help in the pass-rush department to the Minnesota Vikings as they selected Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse.

Adding an athletic pass rusher to the lineup will enhance the Vikings’ aggressive schemes under Brian Flores. The Florida State standout flashes double-digit potential as a sack artist.

Does he ever. Verse’s strength and bend around the edge make perennial Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter the perfect player for Verse to learn under.

Or possibly replace.

Hunter, along with pass-rushers D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport, is a free agent in the upcoming off-season. What to do with Hunter and his sure-to-be-expensive contract is one of the hot-button issues that the Vikings front office will navigate.

Having a possible replacement in mind may not be the worst idea. Having that replacement be of the caliber of Verse makes it even better.

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2024 NFL draft: Updated Texans 7-round mock draft

2024 NFL draft: Updated Texans 7-round mock draft after the Texans playoff run ends

The Houston Texans are coming off a very successful season. The AFC South champs weren’t expected to find a lot of wins, but their 10-7 record under rookie head coach Demeco Ryans and a playoff win have Houston buzzing once again.

A year after selecting QB C.J. Stroud at No. 2 overall and EDGE Will Anderson at No. 3 — both big hits immediately — Houston won’t pick until No. 23 overall in the first round. That’s a pick acquired from the Cleveland Browns; Houston’s own pick is No. 27 overall, but that was traded to the Cardinals in the move up to select Anderson.

Houston has an interesting set of draft slots. After one pick in each of the first three rounds, Texans GM Nick Caserio has two fourth-rounders and then skips to three picks in the seventh round. The Texans have just three of their own picks — a second (No. 59 overall), one of the fourth-rounders and one of the seventh-rounders.

While their history says they’ll be active traders again, this full mock draft has the Texans making their picks without any more trades.

Purple Daily on Draft: Vikings DL prospects and mock draft

There are plenty of defensive line prospects for the Minnesota Vikings. Purple Daily on Draft discusses that and Tyler Forness’ mock draft.

The Minnesota Vikings have multiple different directions that they can go this offseason.

One of the directions that they can go is on the defensive line. There are a bunch of prospects that are intriguing and the hosts take fan questions about them. Is there one that would be the archetype of Aaron Donald? Is Texas NT T’Vondre Sweat a guy who can take the Vikings’ defensive line to a new level?

To finish up the show, the guy discuss Tyler Forness’ mock draft which took a different direction than the majority of mock drafts that have surfaced since the start of the year. Forness had the Vikings taking LSU WR Malik Nabers which feels more like a need pick than anything. How would it work taking a wide receiver? What is the situation that would allow them to take Nabers?

All of that and more on the latest episode of Purple Daily on Draft, dropping every Monday afternoon on the Purple Daily YouTube channel.

2024 NFL draft: Vikings mock draft roundup 3.0

From Jayden Daniels & Michael Penix Jr. to Laiatu Latu, the latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft Rouondup for the Minnesota Vikings is mostly defense

Mock draft season is upon us and that means our mock draft roundup is back!

What we do every week is track the mainstream outlets mock drafts and aggregate how many times a player gets selected. Last season, we tallied up 545 mock drafts and that included a whopping 54 different players. With the Minnesota Vikings set to pick 11th overall, there will be a lot of discussions surrounding the quarterbacks in this draft along with trading up.

We will track them and try to determine trends and patterns, along with giving my own analysis on how they could fit with the Vikings.

Mock Draft Roundup 2.0

Vikings 2024 7 round mock draft 1.0: What if they can’t say no to a WR?

What would the Minnesota Vikings do if Malik Nabers was available at 11th overall? The first of many 2024 NFL mock drafts explores that idea

The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of different ways they can go in the NFL draft. There will be some discussion on what needs are most important but the Vikings can address most of them through both free agency and the NFL draft.

Each week throughout the leadup to the NFL draft, I will be doing different seven round mock drafts for the Vikings as a way to explore different scenarios. You never know who might fall to you and how that could cause a ripple effect and being ready for those situations is paramount come draft weekend.

In the first rendition, LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers somehow falls to 11th overall and that could change the way the Vikings address their roster and draft picks.

Vikings select star DT in surprising Daniel Jeremiah mock draft

The Minnesota Vikings selected Texas DT Byron Murphy II in NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah’s first mock draft of the 2024 NFL Draft cycle.

The Minnesota Vikings are an interesting team to draft for in 2024 NFL mock drafts. They have needs all over that could be justified with a first round pick. One of those is defensive tackle and that is the direction that NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah went in his first mock draft of the cycle.

At the 11th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings selected Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II. Not only is he a talented player, but the Vikings would have two Byron Murphy’s on their roster. Here is what Jeremiah had to say about Murphy’s selection.

I believe Murphy is the top defensive tackle in the class. The Vikings need to add more firepower up front.

Murphy was on one of the best defensive fronts in the country next to T’Vondre Sweat and was a force in both the running game and passing game. Is he worth a selection that high? That can be debated but Jeremiah usually knows a thing or two and this should be taken seriously.

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Browns add speed and playmaking at WR in DraftWire’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft

Speed is exactly what the Browns wide receiver room needs more of

With the 2023 season in the rearview for the Cleveland Browns, it is time to begin looking at free agency and the 2024 NFL draft. We know wide receiver will be a need for them, but could Texas’ Xavier Worthy be the answer?

One thing that can be agreed upon is that the Browns must add more speed and verticality to their wide receiver room.

In one of DraftWire’s latest mock drafts, they agreed with the more speed needed by adding Texas wide receiver Worthy. I would love this pick as Worthy is exactly what the doctor ordered as he has the elite-level speed to take the top off a defense.

Adding someone with the skill set of Worthy will help players like David Njoku do even more damage underneath. Worthy isn’t just a straight-line speed guy he also has great short-area explosiveness that he uses to force missed tackles take small receptions and turn them into explosive plays.

It will be interesting to see what areas Andrew Berry attacks in the draft vs. what he does in free agency to build off of the success of the 2023 season.

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Vikings fortify DL and QB in latest Draft Wire mock draft

Jer’Zhan Newton and J.J. McCarthy would be quilte the haul for the Minnesota Vikings in April’s draft

The Minnesota Vikings have a myriad of needs going into the offseason and how they approach them will be interesting. Curt Popejoy of Draft Wire released his latest three round mock draft and had the Vikings addressing two of their biggest needs.

At 11th overall, the Vikings selected Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton. A dynamo on the interior, Newton was a tremendous player that would fit in like a glove on the defensive line. He specializes as a pass rusher where he explodes both through gaps and around blockers.

The second-round pick at 42nd overall gets the Vikings their quarterback of the future in Michigan’s J.J. McCarthy. The second round would be a great spot to take McCarthy but he’s also not likely to be taken that late. The quarterback class has multiple options both at the top and in that second tier. With how many teams need a quarterback, McCarthy could easily go earlier.

The idea of McCarthy wearing purple is a good one. He has true dual-threat ability with experience both operating under center and in similar pro-style concepts. With a redshirt year being the best route for his future, McCarthy could be the successful option down the line.

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2024 NFL mock draft: Flurry of QBs at the top; offense dominates late

Quarterbacks go early and often, and there’s a run on offensive linemen and cornerbacks late in Chris Spooner’s mock draft

The wild card round of the playoffs is over, and that means we are one step closer to having the 2024 NFL draft order finalized. This is one of the more intriguing drafts in recent years, and it all starts at the top with the Chicago Bears.

However, there are a number of interesting situations behind Chicago that could make for a wild draft. The New England Patriots are going to come into the draft with new leadership for the first time in nearly a quarter-century.

Those same Bears have not one, but two selections in the top 10, so how do they best use their capital? At least four of the teams in the top 10 will have new head coaches for the 2024 season; how does that affect draft strategy?

There are a number of questions, and we won’t have the answers to those questions until April. Until then, it’s up to the mock drafts to explore different scenarios and how those decisions could impact their respective teams. So, let’s do exactly that, shall we?

Browns land explosive receiver in Dan Brugler’s latest 2024 NFL mock draft

Who did Dane Brugler send to the Browns in his latest mock draft?

In his latest 2024 NFL mock draft, The Athletic’s Dane Brugler addresses a massive weakness of the Cleveland Browns, sending them Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin with their second round pick.

The season is over for the Browns, and now pages are being turned to the offseason. A big part of the offseason is preparing for the NFL draft, where the Browns have a plethora of picks to work with (even without a first rounder).

There is no one better in the industry than Brugler as he gave the Browns the talented Oregon receiver as they continue to look for improvements to their wide receiver room. Marquise Goodwin did not pan out as a deep threat. Amari Cooper is entering the last year of his deal, and nobody besides Elijah Moore and Cooper produced in 2023.

A field stretcher, both laterally and vertically is much needed, and Franklin fits the bill. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, Franklin amassed nearly 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns this year for the Ducks. He averaged a massive 17 yards per reception this season.

While the Browns do not have a first round pick, you can be sure that wide receiver is near the top of their priorities.

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