Minnesota Vikings full 2021 NFL mock draft

Round 4

The Vikings could use some depth at the linebacker position. They have a great middle linebacker in Eric Kendricks, but it’s hard to look at Monty Rice and let someone else draft him. He was really good at Georgia, and he could develop into a really good player. He gets to the football very quickly, and he can get through traffic despite being just slightly undersized. The Vikings have four picks in the fourth round, so getting depth across the roster is crucial. Rice is going to be someone who can make some impacts right away, but in a few years, he could be really good.

The 2021 safety class is one of the hardest classes to pick apart, which could mean a player here or there falls way down in the draft. This is Talanoa Hufanga. He’s great with the playbook, and he can adjust on the fly to make a big play. He can slip into an NFL strong safety position in the right scheme. Obviously, the Vikings have Harrison Smith, but Hufanga could easily play in nickel and dime packages. He could also fight for the free safety position to play on run downs. He’s an insane tackler, putting up double-digit tackles in 11 games in his career. He’ll be a great piece to play next to Smith, and they play such a similar type of style, it will really take away the field at the third level.

The Vikings still need more depth on the offensive line after losing Reiff and Dozier this offseason. They have pieces, but moving people around will hurt the depth at the position. They need young bodies in case someone gets hurt. Christensen was protecting the blind side of possible second-overall pick Zach Wilson at BYU, and he played very well. He’s not NFL-ready tomorrow, but he has the ability to turn into a great tackle within a year or two. The Vikings would be smart to look forward and make Christensen a project that could make them better for years to come.

Chauncey Golston is a disrupting force on the edge that has the size and speed to really make a difference at the next level. So, why is he available at the 144th pick? He has a slight issue when he doesn’t get off the ball faster than the lineman he’s facing. If hands get on him, then he has trouble making a move. It’s not always a problem, because he usually fires the second the snap comes off the ground. That kind of speed is hard to teach. Learning new moves is a lot easier. The Vikings could take him here, use him on passing downs, and develop him into an everyday defensive end over time.