2017 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock
The Vikings have eight picks in the 2017 NFL draft. Who can they pick to boost their roster?
Despite trading away their first round pick the Vikings still find themselves with eight draft picks. While it stings to lose out on a potential playmaker, especially in the first half of the first round, the Vikings still have a great chance to make the most of this draft and find a haul worth giving snaps in the near future.
It is an incredibly deep draft, and for a team like the Vikings, which thinks it can make a playoff run this season, there will be chances to find year one contributors. Who could those contributors be? Here is our Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock draft.
Cordrea Tankersley
Cornerback, Clemson
Mike Zimmer has learned a philosophy coming from the Cincinnati Bengals. In Cincinnati, the Bengals philosophy was to draft cornerbacks early in every draft with the hopes of consistently finding starting options at that position.
The Vikings drafted Trae Waynes in the first round of Mike Zimmer’s first draft. In his next draft, the went with Mackensie Alexander in the second round. In his third season, he goes right back to the cornerback position early with Cordrea Tankersley.
Neither Waynes nor Alexander has been able to step into a starting role yet. Xavier Rhodes is one year away from free agency, and if they do not get something done with him they will have a gaping hole at the position. This makes Tankersley a sensible pick, and a pick that may contribute sooner than expected.
Tankersley was also the teammate of Alexander at Clemson. When Alexander left, the spotlight shined bright on Tankersley, who was put on an island at times. Tankersley handled the pressure with ease and proved to be a top tier talent at the position. This is a great cornerback class, and without a first round pick, taking a cornerback early and finding a hit would be the Vikings best strategy.