Minnesota Vikings 2012 Mock Draft: 7-Round Predictions

In 69 days the Minnesota Vikings take the next step towards forgetting the disaster that was 2011.

And on that day, the Vikings will acquire (as it stands) eight rookies to attempt to make 2012 a better day.

The Vikings needs include: offensive line, linebacker, defensive back, wide receiver and defensive tackle.

Here's my take on how the eight picks will pan out.

1st Round, Pick No. 3: Morris Claiborne, LSU CB

This is not what the Minnesota Vikings want to do nor is it what they should do. What the Vikings want is an offensive tackle. The only offensive tackle worthy of a top-three selection is Matt Kalil.

But the USC offensive tackle is rumored to go No. 2, and it makes sense. I do not expect Kalil to be available at No. 3 at this point.

If Kalil is gone, then the Vikings should trade the pick and move into the back half of the top 10 to select Iowa's Riley Reiff or Stanford's Jonathan Martin. But Claiborne should be the pick if they stay.

Minnesota's secondary was putrid. It was the No. 26 pass defense (4,019 passing yards allowed), and the 34 passing touchdowns allowed were the most in the league.

Given the uncertainty of Chris Cook's future with the team, Antoine Winfield's age and the demise of Cedric Griffin, the cornerback position needs help.

Claiborne can come in and start from day one and be a difference-maker.

2nd Round, Pick No. 3: Alshon Jeffrey, South Carolina WR

Alshon Jeffrey is 6'4". Jeffrey is from South Carolina. And if the Vikings take him with this pick, then it makes the first time the Vikings have taken a receiver in the second round since they drafted another South Carolina receiver (Sidney Rice) in the second round.

That turned out pretty well for Minnesota. 

Jeffrey, like Rice, has the size and speed concerns that Rice had coming out of South Carolina. 

Minnesota already has a fast, tough, over-the-middle receiver in Percy Harvin. What it needs is a big receiver who can go vertical. Jeffrey doesn't have breakaway speed, but is still a successful deep threat because of his size. He's a much better red zone option too.

Jeffrey would be great for Minnesota's offense in the red zone. Despite the size concerns and lack of speed, Jeffrey is a borderline first-round pick, and Minnesota would be lucky to nab him here.

3rd Round, Pick No. 3: Zebrie Sanders, Florida State OT

Minnesota hopes it will have the future of its left tackle position before this (as do I), but given that trades are not part of my mock draft, this is a smart pick here.

Everyone knows Charlie Johnson cannot play the left tackle position for the Vikings long-term. The plan is to move him into the interior of the line.

Selecting Sanders will allow that move to happen. And it's not like Sanders is a scrub.

He's built well, 6'5" and 308 pounds, which should allow him to deflect quicker defensive linemen and the larger ones.

Some argue he's a first-round talent. That remains to be seen, but if the draft goes this way up until this point for the Vikings then they would gladly scoop him up.

4th Round, Pick No. 3: Trenton Robinson, Michigan State Safety

Minnesota has recycled through veteran safeties (much like the quarterback position), and it's time they find a long-term replacement. I would argue that if Minnesota trades back far enough from its No. 3 position in the first round that it should draft Mark Barron (but that's another topic).

Robinson, 5'10" and 195 pounds, is built to be a cornerback. And he has the speed of a cornerback. But the man is physical. The man likes to get dirty and ruffle the feathers of the opposition.

That's what Minnesota needs: a player with some attitude. The secondary was weak and lacked attitude last year. Robinson can provide.

With Minnesota's starting safeties (Hussain Abdullah and Tyrell Johnson) headed for the free agent market, there is the opportunity for fresh blood in 2012.

5th Round, Pick No. 3: Ryan Miller, Colorado G

Fixing the offensive line is a top priority this offseason. It's a real possibility Minnesota could have three players that didn't start at that position for Minnesota in 2011.

Miller is a physical specimen: 6'7" and 326 pounds. He played guard at Colorado but has the build to go outside and play tackle. That type of versatility should be attractive to a team like the Vikings that has multiple holes and health concerns on its line.

He may not project as a star long-term, he'll be a solid offensive lineman in this league for years to come. He can be a serious contributor to a winning team's offensive line and someone Minnesota would be better with.

6th Round, Pick No. 3: Tank Carder, TCU OLB

Chad Greenway is cemented as one outside linebacker in Minnesota's defense. The other position is up in the air with Erin Henderson as a free agent.

And given the way Henderson played in 2011, it should be a position up for grabs.

Carder was the MVP of the 2011 Rose Bowl and is just one of those guys characterized as a "football player."

He puts himself in the right positions to be successful on the field and has great instincts. His athleticism doesn't overwhelm, but the guy understands the game.

Consistently players on Minnesota's 2011 defensive unit looked out of place and out of sync with where the defense dictates they should be.

For a sixth-round pick, Carder is a heck of a player.

7th Round, Pick No. 3: Eddie Pleasant, Oregon Safety

In case you didn't read closely in earlier slides, both of Minnesota's starting safeties from 2011 are free agents. It wouldn't surprise me if Minnesota opted to clean shop all together and let both walk (although Hussain Abdullah is a solid NFL safety). In which case replacements are needed.

Pleasant was a leader of an Oregon defense that won the 2012 Rose Bowl over the Wisconsin Badgers. And given Minnesota's inability to turnover offenses, Pleasant could help. He had a team-leading three interceptions for the Ducks in 2011.

At 5'10" and 210 pounds, Pleasant could be taller but has the bulk necessary to be a safety at the next level. And given Minnesota's pass defense in 2011, he couldn't do any worse than it did.

7th Round, Pick No. 16: DJ Holt, California ILB

Current middle linebacker E.J. Henderson isn't getting any younger. At this stage in the draft, the purpose is to seek out big projects that could pan out or really, really safe players who could be solid NFL players.

Holt could be the latter. He was a major factor in California's solid run-defense. He's a sticker in the run-defense and would fit in perfectly with Minnesota's weak pass defense.

At 242 pounds, he is a big boy who has a body that can handle the NFL. His projected 4.84 40-yard dash is not appealing, but at this stage in the draft, that type of stat can be overlooked.

The purpose is to find a football player, which describes Holt.