Minnesota Vikings: Full 2016 Draft Guide and Preview

The Minnesota Vikings have utilized the NFL draft to build a young, talented roster that won the NFC North title during the 2015 season. 

Now, general manager Rick Spielman and the Vikings must use the 2016 draft to add more pieces to the foundation and continue building toward making Minnesota a true Super Bowl contender.

In the past three drafts alone, the Vikings have selected building blocks such as Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes, Anthony Barr, Teddy Bridgewater, Trae Waynes, Eric Kendricks, Danielle Hunter and Stefon Diggs. Good teams are built through the draft, and teams remain good when an unwavering commitment is made to making good picks every spring. 

In the following slides we will preview the Vikings' 2016 NFL draft, looking at picks, needs and targets while also sifting through recent rumors and establishing a seven-round, team-specific mock draft. 

Draft Picks

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Draft picks

Round 1, No. 23 overall

Round 2, No. 54 overall

Round 3, No. 86 overall

Round 4, No. 121 overall

Round 5, No. 160 overall

Round 6, No. 180 overall (from San Francisco)

Round 7, No. 240 overall (from Buffalo)

Round 7, No. 244 overall 

What to know

1. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman has made exactly 10 draft picks in four of the last five drafts, with 2013—when he picked nine—serving as the only exception. Minnesota holds only eight picks at the moment, but Spielman is one of the NFL's most active draft-day traders. He made three deals during the 2015 draft. 

2. Speaking of trades, Minnesota acquired the 180th overall pick during last year's deal with San Francisco, which sent the sixth-round pick and center Nick Easton to the Vikings in exchange for linebacker Gerald Hodges. The 240th pick arrived via the Matt Cassel trade. Meanwhile, the Vikings lost a sixth-round pick (198th overall) in a trade with the San Diego Chargers for guard Jeremiah Sirles. 

3. Some fun facts: The Vikings have picked at least one player from UCLA in three straight drafts...Minnesota's eight first-round picks since 2012 are the most in the NFL...Over the last four years, only the 49ers (40) have made more total picks than the Vikings' 39.

Top Needs

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The Vikings' top five needs:

1. Receiver

The Vikings have depth at receiver, but quality is lacking. Mike Wallace is gone, and there are big question marks behind Stefon Diggs at the top of the depth chart. Jarius Wright is mostly a slot receiver, Charles Johnson is coming off a lost 2015 season and Cordarrelle Patterson can hardly be considered a receiver at this point. Diggs would make for a great second option behind a talented, productive No. 1 receiver. 

2. Offensive Line

The Vikings used free agency to address the offensive line, signing guard Alex Boone and tackle Andre Smith to help bolster the team's biggest weakness in 2015. While no position on the line now looks like an immediate priority, draft needs extend out further than just one season. Matt Kalil is entering the final year of his rookie deal, center John Sullivan is 30 and coming off back surgery and both Smith and Phil Loadholt will play the 2016 season on one-year deals.  

3. Safety

Harrison Smith is one the league's best safeties, but the Vikings have struggled to find him a quality running mate in the back end. Minnesota brought back Andrew Sendejo and signed veteran Michael Griffin, and it's possible Terence Newman could play some at safety. But all three are replacement-level players at the position. Adding a young player capable of playing the center field role—while allowing Smith to freelance around the field more—could help complete one of the league's best defenses. 

4. Linebacker

Linebacker is far from a pressing need, especially after the Vikings re-signed Chad Greenway and signed Emmanuel Lamur and Travis Lewis in free agency. And with Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks entrenched as the team's two nickel linebackers, a third linebacker is more of a situational player for head coach Mike Zimmer. Still, a thumping inside linebacker would allow Kendricks to play on the weak side when the Vikings go to the base defense. 

5. Punter

The Vikings took Jeff Locke in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, but he's consistently been one of the league's worst punters. His 37.8-yard net punting average ranked 30th in the NFL last season, while no punter averaged fewer yards per punt than Locke's 41.6. He's entering the final year of his rookie deal, so it might be time for Minnesota to dip back into the draft well for a punter. 

Top Targets

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Here are the top two targets at each of the Vikings' five biggest needs.

Receiver

1. Josh Doctson, TCU: With good size, serious leaping ability and sticky hands, Doctson is the best fit for the Vikings among the eligible receiver class. He caught 25 touchdowns over 24 games during his final two years at TCU.

2. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss: He has the size at 6'2" and over 220 pounds, but will Treadwell consistently separate at the next level? It might not matter, because few in the class are better at the contested catch. 

 
Offensive Line

1. Jack Conklin, Michigan State: He'll enter the NFL with the potential to play either side, although he could probably step in and play right tackle right away. Landing him would likely take Minnesota's first-round pick, which might be too steep a price to pay. 

2. Jason Spriggs, Indiana: His frame and athleticism is perfectly suited to play left tackle in the NFL. A year to get bigger and stronger would do him some good, which Minnesota's offensive line can likely provide.

 
Safety

1. Karl Joseph, West Virginia: He checks off all the boxes for a safety, with size, tackling, playmaking ability and football character all among his best traits. If the Vikings truly want him, it'll likely take the 23rd overall pick. 

2. Vonn Bell, Ohio State: His sideline-to-sideline ability as a center fielder will be attractive to many teams like the Vikings, who want the opportunity to play Harrison Smith in a more nuanced role. Florida's Keanu Neal or Clemson's T.J. Green could be other options if Minnesota wants to go safety in the second round. 

 
Linebacker

1. Reggie Ragland, Alabama: A true throwback linebacker, Ragland is a fit for any club in need of a guy in the middle of their defense. The Alabama star also has edge-rushing experience. But the Vikings seem unlikely to target a linebacker in the first round. 

2. Darron Lee, Ohio State: The modern NFL game demands athletic linebackers who can play in space, and Lee fits the bill. Can you imagine a defense featuring Lee, Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks? Scary. 

 
Punter

1. Drew Kaser, Texas A&M: The big-legged punter averaged 47.5 yards per punt in 2015, which led the SEC and ranked fourth overall in FBS. He led the SEC in punting average as a sophomore (47.4). 

2. Tom Hackett, Utah: Only one punter had a longer average punt than Hackett (48.0) in 2015. He won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's best punter in both 2014 and 2015.  

Latest Rumors

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Three of the latest draft rumors for the Vikings: 

1. According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, the Vikings "prefer" TCU's Josh Doctson among the first-round receivers. The fit makes perfect sense, as Doctson has been the most widely mocked player to the team for some time. Miller was also told Minnesota doesn't view running back as a priority, with Adrian Peterson, Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata all returning for the 2016 season. Peterson's eventual replacement likely isn't coming in this draft. 
2. Could the Vikings build more draft capital by dealing down from No. 23 overall? According to Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Vikings GM Rick Spielman received two calls on Tuesday from teams wanting to move up or back into the first round. If Minnesota doesn't like the options left on the board at 23, Spielman could deal down and accumulate more picks. He's been found of draft-day trades in the past. 
3. Don't sleep on a defensive tackle early for Minnesota. According to Ben Goessling of ESPN.com, Baylor nose tackle Andrew Billings was told by the Vikings at the combine that they would take him if he's there at No. 23. That was a long time ago, and evaluations change from February to April. Still, the Vikings clearly think highly of Billings, who is big, strong and surprisingly athletic for his size. The defensive line class is deep and talented, so expect the Vikings to entertain the idea of using one of their early picks on the position. 

7-Round Mock Draft

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A predictive look at how the seven rounds might play out for the Vikings: 

1.23: WR Josh Doctson, TCU: A team with a massive need at receiver lands the best pass-catcher in the 2016 class. It's a match made in draft heaven, with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater gaining a true No. 1 receiver and offensive coordinator Norv Turner getting his Michael Irvin 2.0. 

2.54: S T.J. Green, Clemson: The former receiver is still green (no pun intended) at the safety position, but he possesses the size (6'2") and blazing speed combo to eventually become a huge asset. Him landing in Minnesota feels like a great fit, as the Vikings have both the positional need and time available—with Andrew Sendejo returning and veteran Michael Griffin signed—to let him marinate in the system. Green would make a great companion safety next to Harrison Smith. 

3.86: OL Jerald Hawkins, LSU: In Hawkins, the Vikings would gain a viable left tackle prospect capable of sitting his first year and learning the position from veteran line coach Tony Sparano. He has the length and athleticism to play on the left side, especially if Sparano can clean up his messy footwork. 

4.121: DE Tyrone Holmes, Montana: While Holmes is a bit of an unknown as he transitions from Montana, his quickness off the ball and flexibility on the edge make him a prospect worth the likely development phase. The Vikings gambled on Danielle Hunter just last spring, and that experiment looks like it's going to pay off in a big way. Holmes could be another big hit. 

5.160: CB Nick VanHoose, Northwestern: Few defensive backs in the class got their hands on as many collegiate passes as VanHoose, who broke up 45 in 44 games. The Vikings don't have an immediate need at cornerback, but with Terence Newman and Captain Munnerlyn entering contract years, it's a position Minnesota could address for the long term. 

6.180: LB Aaron Wallace, UCLA: Minnesota's run of UCLA draft picks continues with Wallace, who played with both fellow Bruins Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr. His game is similar to Barr's, who can stand up and play linebacker in the 4-3 but also get on the edge and rush the passer in sub-packages. Mike Zimmer knows how to develop and utilize the player type. 

7.240: P Drew Kaser, Texas A&M: Jeff Locke suffered through a terrible 2015 season, and he's now entering the final year of his rookie deal. It's time for the Vikings to bring in some legitimate competition. Kaser figures to be one of the few punters drafted. 

7.244: WR K.J. Maye, Minnesota: The former Golden Gopher lacks size and straight-line speed, but he's a gamer who will work his tail off to succeed as a slot receiver and potential returner at the next level. The Vikings could be looking to get out of Jarius Wright's deal as early as 2016, which could make a player like Maye attractive.