Bleacher Report Makes Two Surprising Picks for Vikings in Latest Mock Draft

This Bleacher Report mock gives the Vikings an unconventional first-round haul.

I would estimate that I have probably looked at over 100 mock drafts and their projected first-round picks for the Vikings over just the past few weeks since the Stefon Diggs trade. The vast majority of them are fairly similar. Most of them tend to take a cornerback and a receiver, though some go with an offensive or defensive lineman with one of the two picks.

Almost every national mock draft I see has some combination of these players in the first round:

• Jeff Gladney
• Kristian Fulton
• Trevon Diggs
• AJ Terrell
• Noah Igbinoghene
• Jaylon Johnson
• Denzel Mims
• Justin Jefferson
• Jalen Reagor
• Tee Higgins
• Josh Jones
• Austin Jackson
• AJ Epenesa
• Yetur Gross-Matos

And there's a reason for that! All of those players fill positional needs and make sense, to varying extents, as first-round picks for the Vikings. The reason I point this out is because mocks with two of those players don't really stand out to me at this point. I'll read the analysis and explanation, and I'll look to see if I like the picks or preferred other players who were on the board, and then I'll move on.

What stands out more to me are mock drafts that go in a different direction. A great example of that is the latest mock from Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski, which was published on Saturday. Here are Sobleski's picks for the Vikings at 22 and 25, with his explanation and my analysis underneath.

Round 1, Pick 22: K'Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU

The Minnesota Vikings are fortunate to land a prospect of K'Lavon Chaisson's caliber at this point. Chaisson is a skilled edge defender whose collegiate career mirrors fellow LSU alum Danielle Hunter. The Vikings drafted Hunter in the third round in 2015. Chaisson may not have gone as early as expected in this scenario, but he's still worthy of a first-round selection thanks to near-limitless potential combined with a better all-around performance during his final season on campus. The 20-year-old defender shows fantastic first-step quickness, the flexibility to get low and turn the corner, and more than enough core strength to hold up against blockers and flatten toward the quarterback. The edge-rusher is also comfortable dropping in space. Chaisson's natural gifts are obvious, though his production was inconsistent. For the Vikings, Hunter can mentor the rookie, while the defense replaces Everson Griffen.

InsideTheVikings: This is a very interesting pick because of how far Sobleski has Chaisson falling in the draft. Nearly every mock draft has the LSU pass-rusher going in the top half of the first round, or at least being scooped up by Atlanta at No. 16. But a draft-day slide for Chaisson isn't impossible, considering he didn't do drills at the combine and is still fairly raw. Also, he tore his ACL in 2018 and hasn't been able to do physicals because of the coronavirus situtation.

I've argued that the Vikings won't take a pass-rusher in the first round of the draft, but that was more in response to all the mocks I saw with Epenesa or Gross-Matos heading to Minnesota. If Chaisson were to fall, I think the Vikings would almost have to take him as the best player available. He has limitless upside because of his explosiveness, build, and flexibility. Chaisson falling this far is a longshot, but it's fun to think about.

Round 1, Pick 25: Ezra Cleveland, OT, Boise State

The Minnesota Vikings continue to improve the trenches with their second first-round pick. This time, the team finds an option to replace Riley Reiff at left tackle. The organization considered moving the veteran blocker to guard last offseason. Head coach Mike Zimmer opened the door to the possibility if a top tackle prospect became available, per The Athletic Minnesota's Chad Graff. Boise State's Ezra Cleveland would significantly upgrade the front's overall athleticism. The Vikings are extremely athletic at center and right tackle, but Cleveland's movement skills greatly surpass Reiff's. The former Bronco tested in the 92nd percentile in SPARQ. The early entrant's lateral quickness would be a wonderful addition to the Vikings' zone-heavy scheme under Gary Kubiak's supervision. Cleveland finished first in both the short shuttle (4.46 seconds) and three-cone drill (7.26 seconds) among offensive linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine.

InsideTheVikings: Another very interesting pick! Whereas Chaisson is rarely mocked to the Vikings because he's usually already off the board, Cleveland is generally thought of as a second-round pick. But with Jones going to the Dolphins at 18, Sobleski has the Vikings make Cleveland the sixth tackle taken in the first round.

I can see the logic. Cleveland's elite athleticism and mobility makes him a perfect fit for the Vikings' zone-blocking scheme. A long-term tackle duo of Cleveland and Brian O'Neill would probably be the most athletic pairing in the NFL. With that said, Cleveland has a lot of work to do in improving his fundamentals and strength if he wants to be a good NFL pass-protector from the left side. This might be a bit of a reach, but people thought that about the Vikings' pick of O'Neill in 2018, too.

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