SKOL Search: Mock draft roundup 8.0

After eight weeks, we are seeing a clearer and clearer picture of where things are headed for the Minnesota Vikings.

This past week, the team added three cornerbacks, including Patrick Peterson. With those additions, the dire need for cornerback has dwindled, but it hasn’t gone away. The only cornerback on the roster after the 2022 season is Cameron Dantzler, and that’s not something you can roll with.

At No. 12 on the NFL draft board, there are a myriad of options they can go with, as just about any prospect makes sense outside of offensive tackle. Regardless of who they select, they will need to make an impact on day one, as the Vikings are setting themselves up to make a Super Bowl run.

Washington CB Trent McDuffie

Who:

CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson
Pro Football Network’s James Fragoza
NFL.com’s Cynthia Frelund

McDuffie has been a fascinating discussion point for the Vikings. He is everything you want in a corner when it comes to technique, but he lacks a little bit in the physicality department.

His 4.52 40-yard dash and 29 3/4″ arms are a hindrance for some in the industry having him high. Others don’t believe it will impact him enough to push him down the board. Your mileage on those two data points will determine whether you like this selection or not.

LSU CB Derek Stingley Jr.

Who:

DraftWire’s Luke Easterling
CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco
PFF’s Austin Gayle
Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm
Sports Illustrated’s Kevin Hanson
Bleacher Report’s Scouting Staff

Stingley Jr. is a prospect that is heavily debated. His 2019 tape is absurdly great, but injuries and a decline in play have made the one-time slam dunk a challenging dilemma for teams. His pro day is on Wednesday, where he will work out after getting full clearance from doctors. With a good showing, he could shoot up draft boards.

Georgia DL Travon Walker

Who:

ESPN’s Mike Tannenbaum

Walker is a fascinating prospect. He projects best as an edge rusher on the outside, but he only has around 600 snaps at the position. There isn’t a size/athleticism comparison for Walker which makes him both highly sought after and a difficult projection. If you can extract some pass-rushing promise out of his game, it’s a slam dunk selection.

Florida CB Kaiir Elam

Who:

Pro Football Network’s Dalton Miller

Elam has been unfairly forgotten about in this class, mainly due to the lack of success from the Gators defense. A corner that thrives in press-man coverage, Elam is physical at the line of scrimmage and has the catch-up speed to click-and-close on the ball. He will need to learn to be less grabby in press coverage, but once he gets past that, the future is very bright.

Clemson CB Andrew Booth Jr.

Who:

NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks

A sports hernia injury might end up pushing him down the board, but Booth Jr. isn’t a prospect that should be slept on. He thrives playing off coverage and has a diverse skillset to succeed in any situation. Being able to learn from Peterson would be an ideal scenario.

Cincinnati CB Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner

Who:

CBS Sports’ Kyle Stackpole
Pro Football Network’s Oliver Hodgkinson
The Draft Network’s Joe Marino

The best cornerback in this class, Gardner is excellent in man coverage. His elite size and length created nightmares for opposing quarterbacks at Cincinnai in not allowing a touchdown during his entire career. He likely won’t be available in this spot, but it would be an easy decision for the Vikings.

Florida State EDGE Jermaine Johnson

Who:

CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso

A powerful edge with elite get-off-the-ball, Johnson is an interesting prospect. His game is power and quickness as his bend isn’t as great as others in this class. He plays a little too much like a bull in a china shop, but with some technique clean-up, he could end up being a 10-plus sack-a-year guy.

Selection Breakdown

After two months, here is where things stand.

1

1