Outside of Round 1 - What do you want in the draft?

ROUND 1. DALTON RISNER G/OT, KANSAS ST.
I think Risner is 1st round talent no doubt, but at 18 it MIGHT be a tad of a reach. The reason I think they make the reach is that Cody Ford will be off the board and they really want to squash that guard position instead of going the true offensive tackle route. So while there is talk about moving Reiff inside, i’m not buying it. I think they address guard with Risner leave O’Neill and Reiff at tackle and hope to bring in another guard option via free agency or later in the draft (spoiler alert, it is addressed in round 3).

There is plenty to love about Risner, he can play pretty much anywhere along the line, which offers bonus depth. He plays angry, if you watch this guy on the field and during interviews it seems that he truly hates the players he is playing against. Which will make him an instant fan favorite.

ROUND 2. ISAIAH BUGGS DT, ALABAMA
The Vikings defensive line has plenty of question marks heading into the offseason. Not only are Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson hitting free agency, but there are also questions about defensive end Everson Griffen’s future. Needless to say, the Vikings will need to hit up the defensive line early in the 2019 NFL Draft.

Enter Isaiah Buggs. The Alabama big man is known for making his way into the backfield and taking the quarterback down (9.5 sacks in 2018). Sure he played next to Quinnen Williams but he showed enough to prove he can play at a high level. Buggs can play anywhere along the defensive line, but most likely would be looked at as a defensive tackle. Great rotational guy who depending on how free agency pans out could be an option to start as a rookie for the Vikings.

ROUND 3. MICHAEL DEITER G/C, WISCONSIN
Would anyone really be surprised if the Vikings double dipped at offensive line in their first 3 picks? Deiter is a big boy at 6’6, 321 lbs. Like Risner he has played everywhere along the offensive line, which will make him extremely attractive to teams in the 2nd – 3rd round range. What I love about Deiter is he doesn’t get fancy, he just goes out there and tries to whoop some ass.

While Deiter wouldn’t be handed a starting job as a rookie, he would have an opportunity to push for one. Worst, worst case is he adds depth along the line while he works on his technique during his rookie year.