Some teams, like the Packers in 2020, don’t necessarily need to depend on their draft classes to be good in the short term.
Last season, Green Bay already had so much talent that, despite the lackluster debutants, the Packers beat NFC North.
Vikings don’t have that luxury. Minnesota needs its first-year players to take on big roles immediately, just so that the team can attempt a recovery season.
Therefore, the 2021 NFL draft is of the utmost importance. There is an argument to be made that Vikings should trade back in position 14, but if they don’t, here are some possibilities they can select from:
Alabama DT Christian Barmore
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Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater
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Michigan DT Kwity Paye
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Alabama WR DeVonta Smith
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Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II
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Gregory Rousseau’s Miami
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USC OL Alijah Vera-Tucker
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South Carolina CB Jaycee Horn
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