INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL has descended on the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine.
The league's annual event takes place this week in Indianapolis, and also serves as the de-facto kickoff to the new league year, which officially opens at 3 p.m. (CT) on March 16 this year and includes major offseason moments like free agency and the draft.
The Vikings currently have the 12th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft after Minnesota went 8-9 in 2021 and finished in second place in the NFC North.
Minnesota has drafted at No. 12 overall twice in team history, selecting quarterback Christian Ponder in 2011 and running back (and Vikings Ring of Honor member) Chuck Foreman back in 1973.
The Vikings currently have eight overall picks.
The 2022 NFL Draft is slated to be held from April 28-30. The first round will be on April 28, followed by Rounds 2 and 3 on April 29 and the final four rounds on April 30.
Here is the fourth version of our Vikings 2022 Mock Draft Tracker, which includes 15 recent predictions from across the football world.
Cornerback was the most-frequent position projected to Minnesota, with quarterback, wide receiver, center and defensive end also mentioned.
Here's a look at our fourth Vikings 2022 Mock Draft Tracker:
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.
March 1, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
New General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Coach Kevin O'Connell inherit an aging defense from a front office that has had some notable first-round misses at cornerback in recent years, but that shouldn't keep them from taking another swing. This is the position Minnesota needs most, and Stingley could be worth it.
Stingley needs to show NFL teams that he can get back to the way he played in 2019, when had six picks as a true freshman on LSU's national title team. He won't be working out at the combine, which means his off-field work there — interviews with teams — will be crucial.
Click here for Kiper's full mock draft.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah
Feb. 22, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington
McDuffie is one of the cleanest evaluations in the draft and he plays a position of need for the Vikings.
Click here for Jeremiah's full mock draft.
Steve Palazzolo of Pro Football Focus
Feb. 28, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Malik Willis, Quarterback, Liberty
With a quarterback class filled with question marks, I'm looking for teams who can approach the position with patience and a long-term mindset. The Vikings have a new regime and quarterback Kirk Cousins under contract for one more year, making this a good spot for Willis to develop. He has an outstanding arm and plus rushing ability. An offense can be crafted to take advantage of both while mitigating Willis' accuracy concerns.
Click here for Plazzolo's full mock draft.
Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus
Feb. 21, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington
What McDuffie lacks in size — 5-foot-11, 195 pounds — he makes up for in short-area quicks and polish. On 296 coverage snaps in 2021, he allowed just 16 catches from 36 targets for 111 yards and zero touchdowns, earning an impressive 88.7 PFF coverage grade in the process.
Click here for Gayle's full mock draft.
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News (two rounds)
March 1, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Tyler Linderbaum, Center, Iowa
The Vikings must accept that Garrett Bradbury, who was benched last season, is a big bust at center. After hitting on left tackle Christian Darrisaw in last year's first round, Linderbaum makes good sense for new GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and offensive-minded Head Coach Kevin O'Connell. Linderbaum can dominate run blocking for Dalvin Cook and also connect well snapping to Kirk Cousins as a young leader of the offensive line.
The predicted pick at No. 46: Drake Jackson, Edge Rusher, Southern California
The Vikings, after going offensive line in the first round, need to think about rebooting their edge pass rush minus Mike Zimmer. He is versatile enough to be a strong replacement for faded free agent Anthony Barr.
Click here for Iyer's full mock draft.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
Feb. 28, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Treylon Burks, Wide Receiver, Arkansas
The Vikings have their GM and their coach, and if Kirk Cousins is hanging around for another year the team might as well give him another weapon opposite Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen, who turns 32 next season. Burks is a contested and high-point catch machine who can also outrun defensive backs to the end zone. The scariest part of his game is that he's not even close to his ceiling yet.
Click here for Wilson's full mock draft.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
Feb. 24, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
Gardner was lock-down at Cincinnati and has the length and smoothness to be a Pro Bowl caliber type in Minnesota.
Click here for Trapasso's full mock draft.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports
Feb. 25, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Jermaine Johnson II, Edge Rusher, Florida State
Minnesota has had some unconventional struggles with the edge rusher position, so it would benefit the team to add some stability. Johnson, a transfer from Georgia, was sensational this past season before elevating his stock even more at last month's Senior Bowl.
Click here for Edwards' full mock draft.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports
Feb. 18, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
With Kirk Cousins likely staying in Minnesota for at least one more season, the Vikings upgrade their uncertain and underwhelming secondary with Gardner. Based on what Minnesota has now, Gardner would likely step in as its No. 1 cornerback right away.
Click here for Stackpole's full mock draft.
Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports
Feb. 18, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
There's an irony in the Vikings taking a corner in their first year after moving on from Rick Spielman, but it's a void now. They simply didn't make enough plays on the ball and allowed way too many yards to opposing receivers. Stingley has top-10 talent but also some questions after a few injury-marred seasons. Reuniting with Justin Jefferson should lead to some epic practice showdowns, too.
Click here for Edholm's full mock draft.
Drae Harris of The Draft Network
Feb. 28, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington
McDuffie will be a steady competitor who has the hips to mirror, agility, and ball skills to be effective as a starter in the NFL.
Click here for Harris' full mock draft.
Damian Parson of The Draft Network
Feb. 23, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Andrew Booth, Jr., Cornerback, Clemson
A new regime has arrived with its own vision to build a contender. The secondary has struggled with recent failed draft picks and underwhelming signings. Andrew Booth, Jr., has CB1 potential. He boasts an incredible athletic profile with coverage versatility. He has the ball skills to make quarterbacks pay for testing him. This secondary needs a young player to build around, and Booth, Jr., can be that guy.
Click here for Parson's full mock draft.
Cam Mellor of Pro Football Network
Feb. 28, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
A lockdown cornerback, Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner is the pick for the CB-needy Minnesota Vikings. Gardner didn't allow a touchdown in coverage during three seasons at Cincinnati. Even more impressively, he didn't allow a catch of more than 13 yards this past year. Gardner is sticky in coverage but also presents upside in defending the edge against the run.
Click here for Mellor's full mock draft.
Oliver Hodgkinson of Pro Football Network
Feb. 28, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
The Minnesota Vikings have selected three first-round cornerbacks since 2015. None of them are currently on their roster. Past failures may cause Vikings fans to balk at adding another first-round defensive back. Still, with Patrick Peterson and Mackensie Alexander out of contract and a distinct lack of depth and talent, the position currently sits as the main area of need ahead of free agency.
The selection of Ahmad Gardner in this 2022 NFL Mock Draft gives the Vikings a ball-hawking playmaker who adds a physical and explosive presence against the run and as a blitzer. If you haven't heard that "Sauce" didn't allow a single touchdown in his entire college career, then you must have been living under a rock with no cell signal throughout this process so far.
Click here for Hodgkinson's full mock draft.
Joe Broback of Pro Football Network
Feb. 24, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Sam Howell, Quarterback, North Carolina
Minnesota is currently debating Kirk Cousins' future, but they also need a long-term option at quarterback. Whether Cousins sticks around or not, taking Sam Howell works either way. Kevin O'Connell's first draft as head coach of the Vikings gives him a chance to take his quarterback, and this 2022 NFL Mock Draft believes he will.
Click here for Broback's full mock draft.
