The Game Haus
  • Home
  • Esports
    • Strategy
      • League of Legends
      • Super Smash Brothers
      • Pokemon Unite
      • Teamfight Tactics
      • Legends of Runeterra
      • Rocket League
      • Wild Rift
      • Hearthstone
      • Pokemon
    • Shooters
      • Halo
      • Overwatch
      • Call of Duty
      • Valorant
      • Apex Legends
      • Gaming
      • CS:GO
      • Fortnite
      • Fighting Games
  • Sports
    • Live Sports
      • College Football
      • College Basketball
      • Soccer
      • NFL
      • NHL
      • MLB
      • NBA
      • PGA
    • Fantasy and Others
      • Fantasy Football
      • Fantasy Baseball
      • Nascar
      • NFL Draft
  • Store
  • More
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Best iGaming Sites
    • Best VPN Sites
    • Best Browser Games
  • Starfield
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Game Haus
  • Home
  • Esports
    • Strategy
      • League of Legends
      • Super Smash Brothers
      • Pokemon Unite
      • Teamfight Tactics
      • Legends of Runeterra
      • Rocket League
      • Wild Rift
      • Hearthstone
      • Pokemon
    • Shooters
      • Halo
      • Overwatch
      • Call of Duty
      • Valorant
      • Apex Legends
      • Gaming
      • CS:GO
      • Fortnite
      • Fighting Games
  • Sports
    • Live Sports
      • College Football
      • College Basketball
      • Soccer
      • NFL
      • NHL
      • MLB
      • NBA
      • PGA
    • Fantasy and Others
      • Fantasy Football
      • Fantasy Baseball
      • Nascar
      • NFL Draft
  • Store
  • More
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Best iGaming Sites
    • Best VPN Sites
    • Best Browser Games
  • Starfield
Facebook Twitter YouTube
The Game Haus
Home»Sports»The Minnesota Vikings’ best draft fits
minnesota vikings draft trades
Photo from vikings.com
Sports

The Minnesota Vikings’ best draft fits

Kenneth HesseBy Kenneth HesseApril 6, 20184 Mins Read

With mock draft season in full swing, several prospects are beginning to be linked to their new teams. Although some first-round fits seem obvious (like Bradley Chubb to Indianapolis), others aren’t so clear. For the Minnesota Vikings, having a successful draft will be imperative to their success in 2018. Here are some of the Vikings’ best fits in the 2018 NFL Draft:

Note: This is not a prediction of who the Vikings will take, rather an analysis of which players fit into the Vikings’ scheme best, as well as filling a positional need.

Josh Jackson, CB, Iowa

Vikings best draft fits
Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson. Photo by Andy Abeyta, Quad-City Times.

Big. Physical. Ball-hawking. These three traits are all you need to know about Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson. In his junior year at Iowa, Jackson tallied a jaw-dropping 27 passes defended and did not allow a single touchdown after Week 4. Head coach Mike Zimmer is also seen throughout the NFL as a cornerback guru.

Coach Zimmer loves long corners that play well in press coverage, such as Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes. Although he isn’t the fastest corner, Jackson’s playmaking ability would be an excellent addition to Minnesota’s already stout defense.

Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Boise State

With his limited time at the position and raw athletic ability, Vander Esch draws a striking resemblance to current Viking Anthony Barr. In college, both players were elite athletes that needed additional coaching. Although Barr displayed more pass-rushing ability in college, Vander Esch makes up for it with his instincts. Vander Esch is rarely caught off-guard and can be on the field for all three downs.

If selected by the Vikings, he would immediately fit in as the team’s 4-3 “WILL” linebacker. If he improves his play strength, Vander Esch could also play at middle linebacker in either a 4-3 or 3-4 formation.

Isaiah Wynn, Guard, Georgia

vikings best draft fits
Georgia guard Isaiah Wynn (77). Photo from saturdaydownsouth.com

Out of all the players on this list, Wynn is the most likely to be drafted by the Vikings. Wynn played left tackle in college but will likely be a guard in the NFL. Wynn is one of the most technically sound guards in this year’s draft, displaying solid run blocking and above-average pass protection. His versatility on the offensive line would be desirable for any NFL team, but is especially so for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings have a major hole to fill at guard and could also use help at tackle. Wynn would serve as an excellent protector of the newly-minted Kirk Cousins, no matter which position he would play.

Tim Settle, DT, Virginia Tech

Settle has a rare combination of size, strength, and agility at the defensive tackle position. Although he is widely seen as a nose tackle, he does have some of the traits necessary to turn him into a dominant inside pass-rusher. Settle played as both a nose tackle and a three-technique at Virginia Tech, giving him added versatility.

Several scouts have compared Settle to Dontari Poe, who was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. With additional coaching to improve his pass-rushing ability, Settle may eventually reach Poe’s level.

If selected by the Vikings, he will rotate with Sheldon Richardson and Linval Joseph at defensive tackle.

Darius Leonard, LB, South Carolina State

vikings best draft fits
South Carolina State linebacker Darius Leonard. Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images

Like Vander Esch, Darius Leonard is an extremely fast linebacker with below-average play strength. Leonard has four years of playing experience at South Carolina State, and it shows on the field. He can diagnose plays and react very quickly, allowing him to pile up tackles. Although he did not play against high-level competition in the MEAC, his traits should transfer to the NFL nicely.

If he were to come to Minnesota, Leonard would pair with Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr to form an impressive linebacking trio. This, along with the coaching of Mike Zimmer, would allow Leonard to thrive with the Vikings.

Frank Ragnow, Center, Arkansas

Ragnow is another offensive lineman that may see a position change in the NFL. Although he is best suited as a center, Ragnow has the size and strength to also fill in as a solid starting guard. He is solid in both pass and run blocking and would fit new offensive coordinator John DeFilippo’s scheme perfectly. Since the Vikings already have their starting center in Pat Elflein, Ragnow would likely start as the team’s left or right guard.

Featured image from vikings.com

You can “Like” The Game Haus on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from other great TGH writers along with Kenneth.

“From Our Haus to Yours”

Arkansas football boise state football darius leonard Football frank ragnow Georgia football Iowa football Isaiah Wynn Josh Jackson Leighton Vander Esch Mike Zimmer Minnesota Vikings Minnesota Vikings Draft targets NFL NFL Draft NFL Draft 2018 NFL offseason south carolina state football Sports tim settle Vikings virginia tech football

Related Posts

Christian Kirksey Announces Retirement

September 21, 2023

Full List of 2023 NFL Retirements

September 21, 2023

Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Announces Retirement

September 21, 2023

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Recent Stories

Montreal Canadiens 2023 Preseason Schedule

September 21, 2023

Minnesota Wild 2023 Preseason Schedule

September 21, 2023

Los Angeles Kings 2023 Preseason Schedule

September 21, 2023

The Game Haus aims to bring unbiased, factually sound opinions to audiences across a range of mediums that are not readily accessible in the day-to-day media outlets. We cover the latest news in Call of Duty, CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Fighting Games, NBA 2K, Halo, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Pokemon, Rocket League, Smite, Starcraft II, Fantasy Sports, MLS, EPL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAAB, NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and PGA.

Next to our unbiased coverage for esports and sports, have a look at our iGaming content. If you are looking for the most recommended Esports Betting Sites or Best Sports Betting Sites, look no further. We also cover the Best Sweepstakes Casinos in our free 2 play section and have a closer look at the Best DFS Sites out there. If you are looking for some real money options, check how we ranked the Best Online Casinos.

Don’t miss out on our dedicated VPN section. If you are in need of the Best VPN Services, we now got your back. No matter whether you are searching for the Best Gaming VPNs, reliable VPNs for Streaming or just looking for switching to a different Country IP via VPN, we have all the answers you need. No time to waste? Check our ExpressVPN Review or our NordVPN Review and you have the clear winners!

The Game Haus is now bringing you the best browser games to play for free. Up for a classic, then don’t hestitate to play Forge of Empires online. Fancy new browser games? No problem! We have toplists for MMO browser games, free online strategy games or browser building games. No matter if you want to play laptop browser games by yourself or the best free coop games. We got you covered!

Follow us on Social Media for updates! Sports: Facebook | Twitter Esports: Facebook | Twitter

Login

Facebook Twitter YouTube
© 2023 The Game Haus. Designed by SEOpologist.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.