EAGAN, Minn. — The countdown to the 2020 NFL Draft has now reached single digits.
The draft will be held April 23-25. We found 12 recent projections from draft analysts around the league regarding what the Vikings will do with two scheduled selections on Day 1.
Some draft experts believe Minnesota could be on the move next week, as there are multiple scenarios below that have the Vikings trading up and down in the draft.
The Vikings currently have a pair of first-round selections — the 22nd and 25th overall picks — the former of which Minnesota acquired in a trade with the Bills for wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Here's a look at our seventh Vikings 2020 Mock Draft Tracker:
ESPN's Mel Kiper, Jr. (two rounds)
April 14, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
As I mentioned in my Mock Draft 3.0, the Vikings don't have much at receiver beyond Adam Thielen. In a deep receiver class, they have to take one here or at No. 25. And in this scenario, I'm giving them one of the best playmakers in the class in Aiyuk, who averaged 18.3 yards per catch (and 31.8 yards per kickoff return) last season. Aiyuk is a great athlete who plays bigger than his 6-foot frame. He has an 81-inch wingspan, which is only an inch behind Calvin Johnson's.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Again, Johnson doesn't have a first-round grade on my board, but with length and athleticism he fits the profile of what Mike Zimmer likes in his defensive backs. Johnson is a bit of a wild card because he played the 2019 season with a torn labrum and had surgery in February, which means not every team will have a full picture on his rehab. He'd be a good fit in Minnesota, which lost Xavier Rhodes, Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander from last year's team.
The predicted pick at No. 58: Ezra Cleveland, T, Boise State
I gave Minnesota a wide receiver and cornerback in Round 1, so let's fill out the Vikings' list of weakest positions with an offensive tackle. Cleveland, who started 40 games at left tackle for Boise State, looked great in agility drills at the combine and ran a 4.93 40, the third fastest among offensive linemen. He's not just a workout warrior, though; he has stellar tape. Cleveland could be the swing tackle in Year 1 for the Vikings or push left tackle Riley Reiff over to guard.
Click here for Kiper's full mock draft.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell (trade edition)
April 13, 2019
The predicted pick at No. 16: CJ Henderson, CB, Florida
TRADE: Minnesota moves up to No. 16 in exchange for the 22nd overall pick, plus a pair of third-rounders in Nos. 89 and 105
The Vikings will almost surely use one of their first-round picks on a cornerback; they would be moving up here to draft CJ Henderson, who has a 33% shot of being on the board at No. 16 and just a 6% chance when Minnesota has its opening selection at No. 22, according to ESPN's NFL draft predictor tool.
Barnwell also envisioned a scenario where the Vikings were involved in a three-team trade with Washington and the Los Angeles Chargers. Here is the breakdown of that deal:
Minnesota receives: OT Trent Williams from Washington; the 37thoverall pick CB Desmond King and 2021 fourth-round pick from Los Angeles
Washington receives: the 132ndoverall picks and T Riley Reiff from Minnesota; the 112thand 151stoverall picks from Los Angeles
Los Angeles receives: the 22ndoverall pick and S Anthony Harris from Minnesota
Williams would be an enormous upgrade for Minnesota, although it would need to find the money to give the seven-time Pro Bowler a new contract. Trading away Reiff and Harris, who was given the franchise tag last month, gets the Vikings the room they need.
The Vikings get Williams and a valuable slot cornerback in King, whose role in the starting lineup is murky after the Chargers signed Chris Harris, Jr. They could still address cornerback and wide receiver with their picks at Nos. 25, 37 and 58.
Click here for Barnwell's full mock draft.
Dane Brugler of The Athletic (three rounds)
April 13, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
With the first-rounder they received from Buffalo in the Stefon Diggs trade, the Vikings might turn around and add his replacement at receiver. No player has helped himself more since the end of the season than Mims, who several teams grade as a top-25-caliber prospect in this draft.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Ezra Cleveland, T, Boise State
The Vikings drafted one of this year's top risers with their initial first-rounder and they take another riser here. Cleveland played the entire 2019 season with a turf toe issue and still produced quality tape. That, combined with his testing and football character, and he has a great shot of landing in Round 1.
The predicted pick at No. 58: Antoine Winfield, Jr., S, Minnesota
The predicted pick at No. 89: Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma
The predicted pick at No. 105: Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
Click here for Brugler's full mock draft.
NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah
April 7, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Jaylon Johnson, CB, Utah
Johnson is rock solid on tape, and he has the tools to fit perfectly in the Vikings scheme.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
Higgins would bring some size and red-zone ability to the Vikings offense.
Click here for Jeremiah's full mock draft.
The MMQB's Connor Orr
April 7, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
A bit of obvious plug-and-play situation here. While the Vikings haven't had the best luck with first-round wideouts of late, Higgins is an option to fill the void left behind following the Stefon Diggs trade. Minnesota could go in plenty of directions here, as the roster is looking seriously bare.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
It may take some time to break Gross-Matos into a versatile rush/coverage option for Mike Zimmer, but the tools are there.
Click here for Orr's full mock draft.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
April 12, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson
Minnesota parted ways with three cornerbacks who played a lot of snaps last season. The team has to restock the secondary, and A.J. Terrell is the big, physical CB Mike Zimmer loves.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Restocking the defense continues for Minnesota, as they bolster the pass-rush position with their second first-round pick. Gross-Matos is a physical specimen who is just scratching the surface on his abilities.
Click here for Wilson's full mock draft.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
April 8, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Reagor is a springy, explosive wideout who steps in the vacancy left by the Stefon Diggs trade.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
Gladney is a feisty man-to-man and off-coverage corner with lightning-quick click-and-close skills who plays the ball well as it's arriving.
Click here for Trapasso's full mock draft.
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports
April 9, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
They have little left after free agency at the position, so landing a cover player like Fulton makes sense. Could also go pass rusher here.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Austin Jackson, T, Southern California
They need to get bigger up front. By taking Jackson they could move Riley Reiff inside to guard. They got manhandled up front at times last season.
Click here for Prisco's full mock draft.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports (two rounds)
April 10, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Minnesota adds some pass rush to account for the loss of Everson Griffen.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
Murray is the best player on the board. Minnesota will probably have to make some changes at the linebacker level soon for the health of their long-term cap space.
The predicted pick at No. 58: Davon Hamilton, DT, Ohio State
Minnesota signed Michael Pierce through free agency, but Hamilton is a long-term solution for a roster under construction.
Click here for Edwards' full mock draft.
Kevin Hanson of Sports Illustrated
April 9, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
The Vikings have a need for an upgrade at WR2 to pair with Adam Thielen following the trade of Stefon Diggs, which has returned this pick to Minnesota. After an outstanding week at the Senior Bowl, Mims ran a sub-4.4 in the 40 with a position-best 6.66 in the three-cone drill at the combine. Per PFF stats, the 207-pound wideout led the nation with 20 contested catches.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
Of the four cornerbacks to play 500-plus snaps for the Vikings last season, three of them — Trae Waynes, Mackensie Alexander and Xavier Rhodes — are no longer on the roster. Fulton is a patient and physical corner with decent size. While he may not have elite long speed, he checked the box with a 4.46 in the 40 at the combine and he's quick, fluid and sticky in coverage.
Click here for Hanson's full mock draft.
Dan Kadar of SB Nation
April 13, 2020
The predicted pick at No. 22: Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
It would be easy to see Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer falling in love with Gladney. The aggressive TCU cornerback is exactly what the Vikings need in their secondary. Gladney is a tone setter at cornerback who can lock down a team's lead receiver. As the Vikings continue to have problems at the position, Gladney can be their solution.
The predicted pick at No. 25: Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
I'm back on this pick for the Vikings at No. 25. As the draft gets closer, it seems like Mims is going to be a first-round pick. That means he leapfrogs receivers like Tee Higgins of Clemson and Jalen Reagor of TCU. Part of the reason could be recency bias. Mims had a stellar Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine. In this bizarre year, the mark Mims has left could matter more than ever.
Click here for Kadar's full mock draft.
Kyle Crabbs' of The Draft Network (three rounds)
March 23, 2020
The predicted trade at No. 22: Minnesota trades the 22nd pick to Indianapolis for picks Nos. 34, 75 & a 2021 second-round pick
The predicted pick at No. 25: Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
The Minnesota Vikings cashed in their first pick to add more long-term picks and land a new pass catcher for quarterback Kirk Cousins.
The predicted pick at No. 34 (from Indianapolis): Noah Igbinoghene, CB, Auburn
The Vikings move back from No. 22, add current and future picks and still get a super high-ceiling cornerback to help replace Xavier Rhodes.
The predicted pick at No. 58: Ezra Cleveland, T, Boise State
Minnesota's zone rushing attack is going to make great use out of Ezra Cleveland's functional athleticism.
The predicted pick at No. 75 (from Indianapolis): Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee
The predicted pick at No. 89: K'Von Wallace, S, Clemson
The predicted pick at No. 105: Shane Lemieux, G, Oregon
Click here for Crabbs' full mock draft.
