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2019 NFL Mock Draft: Dexter Lawrence continues to rise

By Rucker Haringey

CLEMSON, SC - SEPTEMBER 2: Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence #90 of the Clemson Tigers #90 celebrates a tackle against the Kent State Golden Flashes on September 2, 2017 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Todd Bennett/Getty Images)
CLEMSON, SC - SEPTEMBER 2: Defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence #90 of the Clemson Tigers #90 celebrates a tackle against the Kent State Golden Flashes on September 2, 2017 at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Todd Bennett/Getty Images) /
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MADISON, WI – SEPTEMBER 15: T.J. Edwards #53 of the Wisconsin Badgers in action during the game against the BYU Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
MADISON, WI – SEPTEMBER 15: T.J. Edwards #53 of the Wisconsin Badgers in action during the game against the BYU Cougars at Camp Randall Stadium on September 15, 2018 in Madison, Wisconsin. BYU won 24-21. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Linebacker. Wisconsin. T.J. Edwards. 29. player. 60.

The Vikings front office deserves a lot of credit for the lack of obvious holes on their roster. Mike Zimmer has talent all over the field. Even so, Minnesota could use another physical linebacker to aid their stellar defense.

T.J. Edwards is the best fit of any linebacker still on the board. He doesn’t have the best range in the class, but he makes a ton of plays in the middle. It’s not impossible to think he could get some snaps in place of Ben Gedeon on the weak side as well. For a defense that’s going to get really expensive really quickly, acquiring some cheap depth would make a lot of sense.

Edwards also flashes above average coverage ability on film. That’s not a huge issue for the Vikings considering their talent at safety, but it would give Zimmer even more scheme versatility. That’s bad news for the rest of the NFC North.

Another possibility here is that Minnesota might go for a more natural outside linebacker. Devin Bush or Mack Wilson could be in play here too. In the end, look for the Vikings’ rich defense to simply get richer.

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