EAGAN, Minn. — The NFL's free agency dominoes are ready to fall with the start of the New League Year, which officially commences at 3 p.m. (CT) Wednesday.
While much of the conversation this week has centered on "legal tampering" and the "free agency frenzy," evaluations of college prospects are continuing.
The information gained from the NFL Scouting Combine is being processed, and scouts are now visiting college pro days from coast to coast for another round of evaluations.
Minnesota currently has the 24th pick, but it will be the 23rd overall selection due to Miami having to forfeit its first-round pick this year and a third-rounder in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Dolphins engaged in "impermissible communications" with Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady in 2019-20 while he was with New England and after the 2021 season while he was with the Buccaneers.
The Vikings have drafted at No. 23 overall four times in franchise history, most recently selecting left tackle Christian Darrisaw in 2021. Minnesota has also drafted wide receiver Laquon Treadwell (2016), defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd (2013) and receiver Lance Rentzel (1965).
Minnesota currently has five picks in this year's draft after being awarded a sixth-round compensatory selection last week.
The 2023 NFL Draft will be held in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 27-29. The first round will be on April 27 while the second and third rounds will be on April 28. The final four rounds will conclude this year's draft on April 29.
Here is the fifth version of our Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker, which features 17 recent predictions from around the world of football.
Cornerback is the most popular position currently projected to Minnesota (11 of the mock drafts) in the first round.
Take a look at our fifth Vikings 2023 Mock Draft Tracker:
ESPN's Todd McShay
March 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
McShay's take: "OK, Mel [Kiper, Jr.] … I'm sold on Banks. I got your Ravens a receiver and then popped your Maryland guy into the top 25, so no complaints on the mock draft special, please. Banks was really impressive in Indianapolis and is getting a lot of buzz after running 4.35 in the 40, leaping 42 inches in the vert and flying 11-foot-4 in the broad jump. Those are all top-three numbers among corners. And while he had just one pick last season, he did break up 10 passes and limit opponents to 4.6 yards per attempt. Banks is an explosive player.
"The Vikings allowed a 66.7 completion percentage (ninth-highest) and 5.9 yards per play (third-highest) last season. Banks could help."
Click here for McShay's full mock draft.
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr.
Feb. 28, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Kiper's take: "New mock draft, same position the Vikings should target. New Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores wants to be aggressive, but he needs the cornerbacks to do that. The 6-foot-2 Banks is coming off a breakout season in which he locked down opposing wideouts — often in man-to-man coverage — and had eight pass breakups and a pick. Andrew Booth, Jr., a second-round pick last year, should be in the mix for more snaps, but Banks has No. 1 corner potential."
Click here for Kiper's full mock draft.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com
Feb. 28, 2023
The predicted pick: Emmanuel Forbes, Jr., Cornerback, Mississippi State
Brooks' take: "New defensive coordinator Brian Flores wants to bring pressure, but needs a solid set of corners with the capacity to hold their own in coverage. Forbes is a ballhawk with exceptional eyes, instincts and skills."
Click here for Brooks' full mock draft.
Lance Zierlein of NFL.com
March 7, 2023
The predicted pick: Keion White, Edge Defender, Georgia Tech
Zierlein's take: "White needs more game polish, but he's big, strong and athletic. If his NFL team can continue to develop his traits at defensive end, White has a high ceiling."
Click here for Zierlein's full mock draft.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
March 13, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Wilson's take: "Maryland teammate and fellow CB Jakorian Bennett got much of the buzz in the fall, but Banks put together the type of season that will land you in the first-round conversation. He's a fluid athlete who is also a big, physical corner who can match up with NFL wide receivers."
Click here for Wilson's full mock draft.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
March 10, 2023
The predicted pick: Joey Porter, Jr., Cornerback, Penn State
Trapasso's take: "Porter has offensive tackle arm length and plus man coverage ability. The Vikings again go to the secondary well early in the draft."
Click here for Trapasso's full mock draft.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports
March 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Jordan Addison, Receiver, USC
Edwards' take: "Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison could be a sensational duo for quite some time."
Click here for Edwards' full mock draft.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports
March 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Quentin Johnston, Receiver, TCU
Trapasso's take: "The Vikings need a running mate for Justin Jefferson, and Quentin Johnston, thanks to his elite physical attributes, can be that player."
Click here for Stackpole's full mock draft.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today
March 11, 2023
The predicted pick: Kelee Ringo, Cornerback, Georgia
Middlehurst-Schwartz's take: "Receiver could be a consideration for Minnesota after Adam Thielen's release, but it's hard to look past a cornerback group that is perilously thin. While Ringo might be a bit risky given his underdeveloped anticipation, he has the tools to be an imposing matchup in man coverage."
Click here for Middlehurst-Schwartz's full mock draft.
Nate Davis of USA Today
March 6, 2023
The predicted pick: Lukas Van Ness, Edge Defender, Iowa
Davis' take: "One way to address the NFC's worst pass defense? Infuse more juice into its pass rush, and the 6-5, 272-pound Van Ness can do just that – especially if a guy who came off the bench for the Hawkeyes is allowed to start out with a focus on sub packages and passing downs."
Click here for Davis' full mock draft.
Cam Mellor of Pro Football Network (seven rounds)
March 12, 2023
The predicted first-round pick at No. 23: Trenton Simpson, Linebacker, Clemson
Mellor's take: "The Vikings need some help on defense, most notably at linebacker and in coverage. Fortunately for them, Trenton Simpson is available, and he's the best coverage linebacker in this class. Simpson can blitz, stop the run, drop in coverage, and play at all three levels at an elite level."
The predicted pick at No. 87 (third round): Christopher Smith, Safety, Georgia
The predicted pick at No. 119 (fourth round): Parker Washington, Receiver, Penn State
The predicted pick at No. 158 (fifth round): DeMarcco Hellams, Safety, Alabama
The predicted pick at No. 211 (compensatory in sixth round): Chase Brown, RB, Illinois
Click here for Mellor's full mock draft.
Arif Hasan of Pro Football Network
March 9, 2023
The predicted pick at No. 27 (after trading 23 to Buffalo and picking up 130): Cam Smith, Cornerback, South Carolina
Hasan's take: "In some mock drafts, Cam Smith goes much higher than No. 27, often landing in the middle of the round. Here, because of the late nature of the cornerback run, the Vikings scoop up good value with a player like Smith, who is comfortable running the man coverage demanded in Brian Flores' system and can play off-ball or in press.
"Smith weighed in light at the combine but at least had great athletic testing to make up for it. That will be a concern for Minnesota, whose remaining cornerback group isn't the heaviest in the world but still gives them a foundation to work from as they rebuild their defense."
Click here for Hasan's full mock draft.
Kent Platt of Pro Football Network
March 7, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Platt's take: "Few players helped themselves at the Combine more than Maryland's Deonte Banks. Already seeing himself on the rise, Banks went out and put up a 99th-percentile RAS (relative athletic score), the best at the Combine.
"The only reason he wasn't higher on this specific mock is that he's currently rated far lower than the players who did. Will that change after his combine performance? The Minnesota Vikings have been trying to find their secondary for what seems like forever. Even though they've tried both ends of the athletic spectrum, it's never a bad idea to bank on upside."
Click here for Platt's full mock draft.
Ryan Fowler of The Draft Network
March 13, 2023
The predicted pick: Emmanuel Forbes, Jr., Cornerback, Mississippi State
Fowler's take: "Patrick Peterson and Duke Shelley are UFAs and they cut Cameron Dantzler, making the way for Emmanuel Forbes to start opposite 2022 second-rounder Andrew Booth Jr. this fall. The premier ballhawk in the class, a secondary of Booth, Forbes, safety Lewis Cine, and Akayleb Evans is young, yes, but extremely talented that can do a lot of things well."
Click here for Fowler's full mock draft.
Jaime Eisner of The Draft Network
March 13, 2023
The predicted pick: Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Eisner's take: "The Vikings must add to their CB room in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Deonte Banks is a great fit. Banks' size, length, and ability to press give him the ability to be a starter early in his career."
Click here for Eisner's full mock draft.
Natalie Miller of Draft Wire
March 14, 2023
The predicted pick: Jordan Addison, Wide Receiver, USC
Miller's take: "With the recent cut of Adam Thielen, the Vikings find themselves a hole on their roster that would fit like a glove for Jordan Addison, who is a smooth route runner with added explosion after the catch. He can work in the slot or outside for Minnesota, and will be an excellent compliment to Justin Jefferson moving forward."
Click here for Miller's full mock draft.
Luke Easterling of Draft Wire
March 9, 2023
The predicted pick at 18 (after trading 23 and 87 to Detroit): Deonte Banks, Cornerback, Maryland
Easterling's take: "This defense needs all kinds of help, and hiring Brian Flores as the new coordinator was a huge step in the right direction. He'll need to reload the personnel, though, and the biggest need is at corner. Banks backed up his strong film with a fantastic combine performance, making him well worth a third-round pick to the Lions to jump ahead of the corner-needy Bucs to make sure they land him."
Click here for Easterling's full mock draft.
