NFL Draft 2013: Minnesota Vikings Looking to Trade Up
By Josh Sanchez
The Minnesota Vikings hold two first-round picks in the 2013 NFL Draft, and they could be looking to use that ammunition to facilitate a trade to move up in the draft order. Minnesota desperately needs to replace Percy Harvin, who they traded away to the Seattle Seahawks. Defensive back would also be an area of need.
Ian Rapoport of NFL.com passed along the report:
From Total Access: Hear #VIkings want to move up in draft from 23 or 25. Want CB & WR. Moving up would likely mean WR: Austin or Patterson?
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 18, 2013
The Vikings likely wouldn’t be pairing their two first-rounders to move up. Instead, they’d like come up with a package to move in to the top fifteen.
A trade up for cornerback doesn’t seem to make much sense, since there is growing belief that the cornerbacks could fall in this year’s draft. If the team were to keep the No. 25 pick, they could still land a player like Desmond Trufant or DJ Hayden.
That would mean the Vikings would be trading up for a wide receiver.
The only wide receiver that would make sense for the Vikings to trade up for is Tavon Austin. He would be a perfect replacement for Percy Harvin and he doesn’t come with the character and maturity issues that plagued Harvin during his time in Minnesota.
We will find out for sure what the Vikings have planned with their first-round picks in one week.