With the 12th pick, your Minnesota Vikings select...

Matt Corral and let him Work with Cousins to take the starting role in 23

Outside of Hutchison and Thibodeaux, I don't think there's any other DL prospect I would take at #12.

But if we trade down in the 1st Rd to acquire more Day 2 draft picks, and get into the late teens/20's (like we did in 2021), and if we move to more of a 3-4 base Front 7 approach, that does open the possibilities for some more DL prospects which aren't quite Top 15 material, IMO.

Later Rd 1 DL possibilities:

- Jordan Davis, NT, Georgia: would be a solid NT in a 3-4; I do have concerns about the amt of downs he would play as he was not a 3-down DT at Georgia; Tomlinson would be the starting NT and Davis could be reserve for 1 yr and take over starting duties in 2023. If you want to wait until Rd 2, UConn's Travis Jones is a possibility here. 

- George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: I'm probably in the minority with this because many see Karlaftis is a 4-3 DE, but I don't think he has the bend/elite speed off the edge to play 4-3 and it more suited to a 5T/DE position in a 3-4. He might be a slightly small for a 3-4 5T/DE (who you generally want closer to the 300 lb mark), but Karlaftis could utilize his power and his moves are more suited to winning inside vs outside. The only reason people are mocking him in the Top 15 as a great 4-3 EDGE is due to his appearance on the Feldman's 2021 Freaks List (a list compiled by Athletic write Bruce Feldman on highly athletic college players), but the only problem is that his so-called "freakish" athleticism does not show up on tape at all.

- DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M: many draft sites have him as a 3T in a 4-3, but I've already broken him down in the Draft subforum and I rarely see him be a Chris Jones type of disruptive 3T. He's a very good athlete (former 5-star recruit) and played all over the DL at Texas A&M, but I think his strength is more run defense and pursuing the ball vs penetrating 3T. He has a very solid/athletic 6'4" 290 lb frame that he uses to get off blocks, pursue and tackle whoever has the ball. He's not "bendy" enough for a 4-3 DE or 3-4 OLB, but I think he'd be perfect as an everydown DE in a 3-4 - handling his guy 1-on-1, getting off the block and making a play.

- Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida St: I differ somewhat from FSUVike as I think Johnson can play not only as a 4-3 EDGE, but also as a 3-4 OLB - he really does have DL flexibility there. He pretty much has everything you want in a DE player: athleticism, length/height, "bend" ability to get around, arsenal of moves, and he's strong in run-defense, as well. Honestly, I think there's an argument to be made that Johnson is the 3rd best DE prospect behind Hutchinson and Thibodeaux as he's more of a plug-play Week 1 player than Ojabo and Karlaftis. He's also from Minneapolis.

If we stay with a 4-3 base defense, outside of Hutchison and Thibodeaux, the only other DL players I'm considering in Rd 1 are the previously-mentioned Jermaine Johnson as a 4-3 EDGE and then DeVonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia if we trade down in the 20's - Wyatt is definitely a 4-3 3T as his best moves are shooting gaps and penetrating the backfield. He doesn't have the length to play as a 3-4 DE, but I do think he'd be a heck of a penetrating 3T and the only reason I consider him in Rd 1 is that I don't think he'll make it to Rd 2 after the week he had in Mobile. Ojabo is simply too raw of an EDGE prospect for us to take in Rd 1 and no way am I taking Karlaftis as a 4-3 DE or Leal as a 3T (not as much of a penetrator as Wyatt is). 

when KOC talked about a "Flex" 3-4, I like Leal after a trade down the most. Simply think he fits better because of his versatility to move around to all 3 DL spots, which would be problem for OC scheming. Wouldn't mind either Llyod or Dean in that scenario. Here's to hoping a team panics and wants to trade, an extra top 100 pick wouldn't hurt.

No, pick a difference maker at 12. No trading down to gather picks. As of right now, pick the best man to man CB unless FA or trades change that

I was just thinking of your DL list and in that sense "hope a team panics" (say for a QB of choice) and the top 3 CBs are gone.  Then I would trade, but Philly having 3 picks at 15, 16, & 19 scares the crap out of me because that's very difficult to predict. There are a half dozen teams a head of us that need a shutdown CB and Philly has ammo to move up as well. I could easily see this draft going heavy Defensive picks early when you have a league promoting offense and scoring.  We've seen this pattern before. 

For what reason would you trade down? I have never and will never understand this line of thinking. RIP Rick