Minnesota Vikings full 2021 NFL mock draft

How will the Minnesota Vikings build their 2021 NFL Draft class? 

The Minnesota Vikings were dreadfully average last season. After a 1-5 start to the season, they fought back to get into playoff contention before running out of steam at the end of the season. They are bringing most of the main pieces back, which includes head coach Mike Zimmer and starting quarterback Kirk Cousins. There’s a lot of holes on this roster, but there is a good building block to put together a playoff team.

The NFL Draft is where the Vikings will put together a foundation for now and the future. They have plenty of those flashy players (Justin Jefferson and Adam Theilen make up one of the best wide receiver duos in the league. Dalvin Cook is the best running back.), but they need players who do the right thing without getting the stats. Their draft might look boring on the surface, but it’s exactly what they need.

Minnesota Vikings Seven-Round Mock Draft

Round 1

Going for a defensive lineman isn’t going to get Vikings fans out of their seat, but it’s the move they need to make. Christian Barmore is someone who will do all those small things as a big-bodied defensive tackle at an expert level. He can split double teams, wasting two blockers on running plays. He can rush the passer. There are plays that he makes a bigger impact than an outside rusher.

Barmore has a lot of different moves thanks to having really good hands. His rips, swims, and swipes get him into the backfield with some quickness. There’s a reason he was named the defensive MVP of the National Championship Game. On the biggest stage, he put up two tackles for a loss and a sack against the Ohio State Buckeyes and Justin Fields.

Barmore is a little bit of a risk at 14, since a lot of his production came this season, but his jump is almost unprecedented for a defensive tackle. He finished off as hot as anyone in the country at any position. He was unstoppable in the College Football Playoff.