It’s a bittersweet time now that the 2020 NFL Draft is in one day.
On one hand, Vikings fans get some much-needed news and fresh players in what has been a frustrating offseason for the team thus far. Also, any entertainment can be good for sports fans, as the coronavirus pandemic has shut down the vast majority of organized sports right now.
On the other hand, it means one of the more exciting aspects of the offseason is coming to a close: predicting which players Minnesota is going to take during the draft.
And it’s been fun (and humbling) to try to do so on Vikings Wire this offseason. Minnesota has plenty of needs and it can be tough to assess which of those needs the Vikings should prioritize in the draft.
Some picks are rational choices for positional voids Minnesota must fill, while others are interesting players who could add a different dimension to the team.
Here is how all the teams drafted in the final Vikings Wire mock simulation.
And here are the Vikings picks and why I chose them:
Round 1: LSU CB Kristian Fulton
The Vikings could possibly take Jeff Gladney at No. 22 in the draft.
However, Fulton is arguably just as good, even though he doesn’t necessarily fit the mold of a conventional Mike Zimmer cornerback.
What I mean by that is this: Fulton isn’t a big, physically imposing corner who can cause problems for opposing wide receivers in press coverage. He’s more of an agile, speedy corner who can hopefully run alongside some of the top receivers in the NFL.
Fulton ran a 4.46, which put him among the fastest cornerback prospects in the NFL Combine. Florida’s C.J. Henderson, Clemson’s A. J. Terrell and some other cornerbacks were faster, but besides Henderson and Terrell, most of the corners who ran better 40’s weren’t as talented of players in other aspects.
Fulton isn’t super strong, but he can still press from time to time, not getting blown off the ball by big wide receivers when he does so. Among the top cornerback prospects, Fulton has just as much potential as most to finish as a shutdown defensive back at the NFL level.