The Vikings were awarded three compensatory draft picks for the 2020 NFL Draft.
I wanted to see how that would change the strategy of the draft, especially in the third round, where the team now has two picks. More draft picks, in addition to good players getting picked before the Vikings could take them, led to this draft being harder than the first simulation I did.
I drafted the best player available in the first round, which was Alabama safety Xavier McKinney. From there, I attempted to stitch together a draft class that could benefit the Vikings for next season.
Defensive tackle remains a tough position for me to draft when I’m doing a simulation. It seems like I either have to draft a defensive tackle who’s supposed to be taken in the next round, or hold off and miss out on more talent on the interior defensive line.
You can see what other teams did in the simulation here.
Here is who I decided to take, followed by a brief explanation for why I chose them. I did this simulation at The Draft Network.
Round 1: Alabama safety Xavier McKinney
Like I said, Xavier McKinney was my first-round choice. He seemed like the best player available at the time, and Minnesota could use a safety for next season if Anthony Harris walks. McKinney paired with Harrison Smith at safety could be menacing for opposing offenses.