5 players Vikings should draft in the first round

1. Gregory Rousseau

Rousseau may be one of the more raw prospects slated to go off the board in Round 1, but he’s got tremendous upside. If the Vikings want to swing for the fences they should target the former Miami star at No. 14.

Of course, there’s a meaningful chance he won’t be on the board when Minnesota goes on the clock. He’s gaining interest from teams inside the top-10. That tends to happen for edge rushers who move more like safeties when they’re coming off the edge.

Opting out of the 2020 season didn’t help Rousseau’s stock, but the freakish athletic ability he put on film in 2019 is enough to make him one of this year’s most intriguing prospects. Despite his limited polish, he was hugely productive for Miami as an edge rusher. It’s easy to project him as a double-digit sack artist at the next level if he receives the right coaching.

Working with Zimmer might be just what Rousseau needs to turn all that potential into production. This is a potential pick that makes a ton of sense for everyone involved. The Vikings will face a nervous wait to see if he falls all the way down to them at 14.