2012 NFL Mock Draft: 7-Round Minnesota Vikings Predictions

For the Minnesota Vikings, the 2012 season could be one of the most important in team history. After finishing the 2011 season 3-13, tied with the worst record in franchise history, they have the third pick in the 2012 NFL draft—the highest pick since the last time they finished 3-13, in 1984.

That year, they used the fourth pick in the draft to select defensive end Chris Doleman, who is a finalist for induction into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Many Vikings fans are hoping that the team can find another potential Hall-of-Fame player in this year's draft. The top candidates for the Vikings include USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil, LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne, Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon or Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III.

On the positive side for the Vikings, they have so many needs on both sides of the ball that they cannot go wrong with whatever selection they make.

The Vikings received the seventh round picks from the Giants and Patriots, giving them at least nine picks in the draft. There is also potential for a couple of compensatory picks somewhere after the fifth round.

Here's a look at how the Vikings will address their needs through the draft

With the 3rd Pick in the Draft, the Vikings Select...

From the beginning, I have been projecting that the Vikings will select USC offensive tackle Matt Kalil.

Kalil is the top-ranked tackle in the draft. The biggest question will be what the St. Louis Rams decide to do with the second pick in the draft.

One of the options have the Rams trading down to either Washington or Cleveland to give them the opportunity to draft quarterback Robert Griffin III.

If that happens, the Vikings need to draft Kalil immediately. This will give them a lock own left tackle for the better part of the next decade and beyond.

Round 2: The Vikings Continue to Address the Offense

The Vikings need to find quarterback Christian Ponder an outside receiver.

Rutgers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu leads a record 65 underclassmen that declared for the 2012 NFL Draft.

One of the top five wide receivers in the draft, the 6'2", 215-pound Sanu had 115 catches for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns in his junior year for the Scarlet Knights.

Round 3: The Vikings Address the Defense

In 2012, the Vikings could potentially get a healthy Antoine Winfield and an acquitted Chris Cook as their starting cornerbacks, providing a huge lift from how the Vikings finished the 2011 season.

The problem is, Winfield turns 35 this summer and was projected to cover the slot receiver on defense.

The Vikings need to upgrade and add depth to their defensive backfield.

Vanderbilt cornerback Casey Hayward could be the answer if he is still available when the Vikings select in the third round.

The 5'11", 188-pound Hayward is fits the same mold as Winfield and is a solid tackler. He was third for the Commodores with 62 tackles, 7.5 for a loss, and seven interceptions.

Round 4: More Help for the Defense

With both of the Henderson brothers set to become free agents in 2012, the Vikings will need to add some depth to the linebacker corp. 

The Vikings coaching staff got an up-close-and-personal look at North Carolina State linebacker Audie Cole.

Cole finished his senior season with 61 tackles, 13.5 for a loss, and 5.5 sacks for the Wolfpack.

Round 5: Adding Some Potential Depth to the Offensive Line

If things go as planned, the Vikings will have selected their left tackle for the next 10 to 12 years in Matt Kalil.

They still could use some depth along the offensive line.

Seven-time Pro Bowler left guard Steve Hutchinson has suffered injuries the last two years, preventing him from playing a compete season, and right guard Anthony Herrera has never played all 16 games in a season.

The Vikings got an up-close look, as Will Blackwell from LSU was a member of the South team in the Senior Bowl.

Rated as the 11th-best guard in the draft by Walterfootball.com,  Blackwell has the potential to play guard and center in the NFL.

Round 6: Look for Another Receiver

The Vikings, who drafted four players from the 2011 Senior Bowl rosters, had the benefit of coaching six wide receivers during the week of practice leading up to the game.

The Vikings could have their choice to two or three receivers depending upon where they fall, including Gerell Robinson from Arizona State, Marvin Jones from California or DeVier Posey of Ohio State.

The best option would be Brian Quick from Appalachian State, pictured above. At 6'3" and 222 pounds, Quick provides another good-sized target for the Vikings offense.

The problem is, he might not be around by the time Minnesota selects in the sixth round.   

Round 7: Adding Some Depth for the Defense

The pickings tend to get a little slim when you get to the seventh round.

The Vikings, who have three selections in the seventh round, will be looking for those players who were projected to go earlier in the draft still on the board.

One such player could be safety Jerrell Young from South Florida. Young finished the season with 51 tackles and two interceptions.

Another potential selection if he is available is cornerback D'Anton Lynn from Penn State, a Senior Bowl player the Vikings coaching staff had the opportunity get an extended look at over the week leading up to the game. In three years with the Nittany Lions, Lynn intercepted seven passes.

Another Senior Bowl player the Vikings may consider is safety George Iloka. The 6'4", 222-pound safety from Boise State finished second with 58 tackles for the Broncos last season.

At this point, the Vikings will express surprise and delight. Surprised that players they had higher on their draft board were still available, and delight they were able to draft them.

Whoever they select in the seventh round could be a superstar just waiting to be explode—after all, the franchise leader in sacks, John Randle, was an undrafted free agent in 1990, and back then, there were 12 rounds to the draft.