Vikings take T Austin Jackson in 1st round of USA TODAY mock draft

It’s no secret that the Vikings have a lot of holes to fill before the 2020 starts.

It’s no secret that the Vikings have a lot of holes to fill before the 2020 starts.

One way to fill those holes is, of course, the NFL Draft.

With the 25th overall pick, Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz has the Vikings taking USC offensive tackle Austin Jackson in his latest USA TODAY mock draft. Here’s what Middlehurst-Schwartz wrote about the pick:

Minnesota’s meltdown against the 49ers reinforced that the offensive line has to be addressed in some form. The biggest shortcomings are on the interior, but drafting Jackson could still allow for a reshuffling, particularly if Riley Reiff moves to guard.

If the Vikings took an offensive lineman, defensive lineman, defensive back or even wide receiver, it wouldn’t really come as a surprise to many people, which isn’t a great sign for Minnesota.

Jackson, who declared as a junior, made the All-Pac-12 First Team in 2019.

Middlehurst-Schwartz hints that Reiff potentially moving to guard, but there’s probably an equal chance that the Vikings cut ties with Reiff entirely.