Category: Mock Drafts

Vikings fortify trenches in Dane Brugler’s mock draft

Is taking back-to-back trench players a smart idea for the Vikings? Dane Brugler thinks it is

Mock drafts are coming out more often now that there are only eight teams left in the National Football League playoffs. There are multiple directions that the Minnesota Vikings can go in the 2024 NFL draft but it will be determined by how the top of the draft.

In the latest mock draft from The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, the top three quarterbacks are all gone by the eighth overall pick so the Vikings have to change their direction.

At the 11th overall pick, Brugler has the Vikings selecting UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu and he had great things to say about the talented Bruin.

Over his two seasons at UCLA, Latu accounted for 34 tackles for loss, 23.5 sacks and five forced fumbles. He has first-step quickness and bend, but his crafty handwork and ability to diversify his attack separate him as a pass rusher. His injury history could be an issue, but this Vikings regime has taken chances with those risks in the past.

As Brugler states, the injury history could become a really big issue with Latu, especially since he medically retired due to a neck injury.

With their second pick in Brugler’s two-round mock draft, he has the Vikings taking another piece to add to their defensive line in Clemson defensive tackle Ruke Orhohoro.

The Vikings double up on the defensive line. Well-built at 6-4, 295 with 34-inch arms, Orhorhoro is an impressive mover and offers a high ceiling after he was late to the game of football.

This isn’t the sexiest mock draft for the Vikings but sometimes you need to eat your oatmeal and get back to the basics. This accomplishes that and more.

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Browns add speed and reload offensive line depth in 2024 NFL mock draft

The Browns must improve the WR and offensive line in April

The magical ride that was the 2023 Cleveland Browns season is over after a blowout loss to the Houston Texans on Saturday. It is officially draft season and time for plenty of 2024 NFL mock drafts.

The injuries to the offensive line at the tackle position showed up in this game, as Joe Flacco was constantly under pressure.

Looking forward to the 2024 NFL draft this is the year, the Browns need an offensive tackle, with some impressive interior prospects as well. Jedrick Wills Jr. was playing some of his best football before his injury, and enters the final year of his contract with the team uncertain if he is the future at the position or not.

Though the wide receiver room was significantly improved in 2023, there are still some limitations in that room. Without a consistent deep threat after Marquise Goodwin didn’t work out in 2023, the Browns will be looking there in the draft.

Let’s take a look at how the Browns could look to build for the future when April’s draft comes around.

2024 NFL draft: Vikings mock draft roundup 2.0

In the second week of our Mock Draft Roundup, we collected 23 mock drafts with nine different players sent to the Vikings

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 1.0

Browns take Michigan RB Blake Corum in new mock draft

The Cleveland Browns add backfield depth in this new mock draft from The Athletic.

The Cleveland Browns don’t have a first-round draft pick again because of the Deshaun Watson trade, but that doesn’t mean they won’t make any selections this April. While the Browns’ first pick – in the second round – won’t be decided until they’re out of the playoffs, The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner predicted who Cleveland would take.

The Browns have several needs, but Baumgardner sent Michigan running back Blake Corum to Cleveland as added backfield depth.

From The Athletic:

“The Browns are at their best when they’re running the football. But Nick Chubb needs a fresh running mate, and though Corum has a lot of wear on his body (and suffered a knee injury in 2022), he’s the best gap runner in this class and will be ready to help an NFL team as soon as he arrives.”

It’s an intriguing pick for the Browns considering how well Jerome Ford has played as the defacto lead back for Cleveland. Kareem Hunt could also be back on the team as well if a market for him doesn’t manifest for a second consecutive offseason.

Corum had a pretty solid college career with the Wolverines, culminating with a national championship during which he rushed 21 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed 19 times for 83 yards and one touchdown in the College Football Playoff semifinal match with Alabama the week before. Corum finished his college career with 3,737 rushing yards and 58 rushing touchdowns in four years at Michigan.

This pick makes more sense if the Browns have serious concerns about Chubb’s knee and if they don’t bring Hunt back in 2024. Both are legitimate possibilities, as Chubb suffered a gruesome-looking knee injury in Week 2 that may take awhile to fully recover from, while Hunt is no guarantee to re-sign if he wants to find a more consistent role on a different team.

There is still plenty of time between now and the 2024 draft, though, so a lot could change.

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Vikings shore up the defensive line in latest ESPN mock draft

The Minnesota Vikings add talent to the defensive line in ESPN’s latest mock draft

ESPN’s Jordan Reid released his post-regular season mock draft now that the college football and NFL seasons have concluded. With the 11th pick in this draft, the Minnesota Vikings selected Illinois defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton to help shore up the interior of the defensive line.

The Vikings are a prime candidate to take a QB, and I almost made that move here. But there’s a good chance Kirk Cousins will return to Minnesota, giving the Vikings the chance to instead take one of the best defensive players in the draft. Outside of Danielle Hunter — who is a free agent this offseason — Minnesota had a severe lack of talent along its defensive front.

One of my favorite overall prospects in this class regardless of position, Newton is a disruptive 3-technique who finished the season with 42 pressures, 7.5 sacks and an 11.4% defensive pressure rate. And he simply doesn’t come off the field; his 715 snaps ranked seventh among all FBS defensive linemen in 2023. Newton can play from multiple alignments, and he can be included in creative third-down packages because of his versatility and explosiveness as a pass-rusher.

If Cousins does return, the Vikings would be able to go with more of a developmental prospect at quarterback in this draft. That leaves the door open to bolster the talent on the defensive side of the ball. As Reid points out, the talent up front for Minnesota was lacking outside of Hunter, and those that did stand out, such as D.J. Wonnum, are not locked to be in the purple and gold next season.

Newton is a menace along the defensive line. His strong hands, quick feet, and brutal power make him a clear first-round talent and a potential cornerstone for any defense.

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2024 NFL Mock Draft: QBs go early, receivers fall

Quarterbacks go early and runs on offensive line and wide receiver dominate Tyler Forness’ mock draft

The 2024 NFL draft season has been going since May 1st, 2023 but it’s been kicked up a notch with the Minnesota Vikings eliminated from the playoffs and all of the focus being toward 2024.

Each Wednesday, Vikings Wire will be bringing you a mock draft. Why are we doing them with such regularity? It’s about presenting different situations. Everyone thinks they know what will happen with the NFL draft but there is something that happens each year that throws a wrench into what you think will happen.

Throughout the next four months, players will rise and fall up the draft board and that is very natural. What we will do with each of these mock drafts is show you how the draft might go if it were to happen that day. Most of these picks will be wrong but it’s more of a critical thinking exercise than anything.

Without further ado, here is my first mock draft of the 2024 NFL draft cycle.

Vikings get much-needed secondary help in latest mock draft

The Vikings secure much-needed help in the defensive secondary in the latest mock draft.

Draft Wire’s Curt Popejoy released his latest 2024 NFL mock draft just before the postseason. At pick 11, Popejoy had the Minnesota Vikings taking defensive back Cooper DeJean out of Iowa to help bolster the secondary. Popejoy explained that the Vikings are “another team that needs a quarterback but just goes for value instead” with the DeJean pick.

Since week 15, the Vikings were second-to-last in both EPA/dropback allowed and defensive success rate. They allowed the best completion percentage, the second-most yards and the second-worst quarterback rating.

While Flores’ defense was still miles better than years past, there was a limit to its effectiveness due to the lack of talent in the secondary. DeJean would be another piece that Flores could utilize alongside Bynum and Metellus, especially if Sunday was Harrison Smith’s final game as a Viking. Whether at safety, in the slot or outside, DeJean is a versatile weapon that can cover number-one receivers and tight ends while also being a reliable tackler. If Flores stays, expect DeJean to be on Minnesota’s radar for the 2024 NFL draft.

2024 NFL mock draft ahead of the regular season finale

Draft Wire’s Jeff Risdon posts the final 2024 NFL draft projections from the 2023 regular season

Week 18 has arrived across the NFL. For some teams, it’s the end of the line for the 2023 season and the unofficial kickoff of the offseason. Others are fighting for playoff berths or seedings and won’t go into offseason mode for at least another week.

Either way, we’ve got some help on the way for all 32 teams in the latest 1-round 2024 NFL mock draft projections.

The draft order is the actual NFL standings and slotting entering the Week 18 action. No trades in this one. As always, projections at this time of the year are about ideas and concepts, not steadfast predictions; we haven’t seen all of the upcoming head coaching and GM changes that are bound to come, after all.

Vikings add to the defense in latest mock draft

Minnesota adds some pass rush help in the latest mock draft.

The Draft Network’s Damian Parson released his first mock draft of the season. At pick 12, the Minnesota Vikings selected Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse, making him only the second defensive player selected in the first 12 picks.

Three of the Vikings’ edge defenders are heading into free agency, including Danielle Hunter. Jared Verse would provide an outstanding replacement or partner if Hunter is re-signed. Verse’s first step and speed-to-power conversion make him a candidate for the EDGE1 crown of this draft class.

Mock draft season is in full swing, and it is becoming clear that most draft pundits are looking to the defensive side of the ball when discussing Minnesota’s first pick. Part of that is due to the top quarterbacks in this draft getting snatched up in the first five to seven picks. It also leads to wonder if Minnesota will be in the quarterback conversation this early in the draft, or will they wait on a possible project quarterback and re-sign Kirk Cousins?

Regardless, the defense will need some help as most of their pass-rush will be looking to get paid this upcoming off-season. At pick 12, Minnesota will almost have their pick of who they want to add to their pass rush.

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Browns add speed to the offense in the second round of 2024 NFL Mock Draft

The Browns add much needed speed in 2024 mock draft

The Cleveland Browns are going back to the playoffs for the second time in the past four years under head coach Kevin Stefanski. Joe Flacco has the offense humming but with the return of Deshaun Watson next year the team could use some more speed at wide receiver. Could Texas speedster Xavier Worthy be the answer?

Hopefully, Amari Cooper is back in Cleveland and with Marquise Goodwin not working out adding speed in the second round makes the most sense to me. This is the draft to add talent to the wide receiver room as it is one of the deepest classes in recent memory.

There is some decent depth along the offensive line and the Browns could look to add there as well as injuries and age are adding up on the line. There are a ton of things that can change between now and the draft including free agency but here’s how I think the 2024 draft could go for Cleveland.