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2019 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings 7-round mock

By Rucker Haringey

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 30: Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) takes a breather during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears on December 30, 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 30: Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) takes a breather during an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears on December 30, 2018 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 29: Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) narrowly escapes the grasp of Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Dontavius Russell (95) during the football game between Auburn and Ole Miss on October 29, 2016, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS. Auburn would defeat Ole Miss 40-29. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images).
OXFORD, MS – OCTOBER 29: Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Chad Kelly (10) narrowly escapes the grasp of Auburn Tigers defensive lineman Dontavius Russell (95) during the football game between Auburn and Ole Miss on October 29, 2016, at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, MS. Auburn would defeat Ole Miss 40-29. (Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images). /

Round 4: Dontavius Russell

Sheldon Richardson was a nice one-year rental for the Vikings but he’s almost certainly going to make more money elsewhere in 2019. That leaves Zimmer with a starting spot to fill at defensive tackle.

Russell is a guy who can really clog the middle against the run. When you cut on his tape for Auburn you see that opposing offensive coordinators really try to keep their run game away from him. That stunted his numbers a bit during his collegiate career, but savvy NFL evaluators can see right through that issue.

His fit next to Linval Joseph would be pretty close to perfect for the Vikings. Russell can be responsible for tying up the middle which would allow Joseph to freelance a little more often. That should equal more interior pressure from Minnesota’s front four. It would be much different than Joseph’s partnership with Richardson, but it could be just as effective.

Russell will slip this far in the draft because he’s not going to be an effective pass rusher at the next level. That will cause him to drop almost entirely off some team’s boards. The Vikings are smarter than that. Russell is a Zimmer type guy who’d represent excellent value at this point in the draft.

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