EAGAN, Minn. — Mock draft season is in full swing.
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 third version of our Vikings 2022 Mock Draft Tracker, which includes 17 recent predictions from across the football world.
And while cornerback is the most-often projected position to the Vikings, we did see our first trade involving Minnesota.
Here's a look at our third Vikings 2022 Mock Draft Tracker:
ESPN's Jordan Reid (two rounds)
Feb. 7, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: David Ojabo, Edge Rusher, Michigan
Under the previous front-office regime, the Vikings relied heavily on their ability to develop Day 2 and Day 3 players at defensive end, which left the team's depth razor-thin at the position outside of Danielle Hunter. If new General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah uses the same model as the Browns, where he was the past few years, Minnesota could value the age of prospects (22 and younger) and their college production, physical traits and potential upside. Ojabo's combination of potential and youth make him a clear target for the Vikings at a position of need. They haven't selected an edge rusher in the first two rounds since Erasmus James in 2005.
The predicted pick at No. 46: Kaiir Elam, Cornerback, Florida
Elam has received mixed reviews from NFL evaluators I've spoken to; some see him going as high as the late first round, while others seem him in Round 2. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Elam is a big press-man corner. With Minnesota in search of cornerback help and Elam turning 21 years old a week after the draft, he checks a lot of the boxes for the Vikings scouting department. He had six picks in three seasons for the Gators.
Click here for Reid's full mock draft.
NFL.com's Chad Reuter (three rounds)
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
Stingley's instincts and ball skills would be welcomed in the Vikings secondary. After missing all but the first three games of last season due to injury, Stingley will need to use the NFL Scouting Combine to display the strong hands and short-area quickness needed to be a stopper on the outside.
The predicted pick at No. 46: Damone Clark, Linebacker, LSU
The predicted pick at No. 77: Kingsley Enagbare, Edge rusher, South Carolina
Click here for Reuter's full mock draft.
NFL.com's Cynthia Frelund
Feb. 11, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
There's an elephant in the room here, and it's that Stingley's tape and metrics have gone the wrong way from his 2019 campaign until now, with the corner playing just three games in 2021 due to injury. However, press coverage is a positive in his résumé, and his pursuit speed flags in the top 20 percent, per computer vision. PFF counts him as allowing a completion percentage of just 41.1 in his three seasons at LSU.
Click here for Felund's full mock draft.
NFL.com's Lance Zierlein
Feb. 8, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington
The Vikings have had their share of issues in the secondary, so McDuffie's route-hounding, technique-driven cornerback play should be a welcome addition.
Click here for Zierlein's full mock draft.
Matt Miller of The Draft Scout
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
The Vikings will no doubt have more of an analytics look with new General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah coming in, but this pick is all about the best possible value. Stingley fills a need and when healthy would be a top-five player in this class.
Click here for Miller's full mock draft (paid).
Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: George Karlaftis, Edge Rusher, Purdue
The Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era kicks off with a fairly safe player at a valuable position. Karlaftis earned a 90.6 pass-rushing grade in 2021 despite seldom leaving the field.
Click here for Renner's full mock draft.
Seth Galina of Pro Football Focus
Feb. 7, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: George Karlaftis, Edge Rusher, Purdue
With Danielle Hunter's future in Minnesota a bit uncertain, the Vikings bolster their edge rush with Karlaftis. The "Greek Freak" is strong and possesses a great first step. He can bull rush any tackle and is also effective against the run. After Hunter, no Vikings edge defender posted a 65.0-plus grade last season.
Click here for Galina's full mock draft.
Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News
Feb. 13, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Garrett Wilson, Wide Receiver, Ohio State
The Vikings, with Adam Thielen about to enter his [age] 32 season coming off an ankle injury, need to upgrade No. 2 wide receiver for new offensive-minded coach Kevin O'Connell. Wilson is a little safer than Alabama's Jameson Williams for that purpose. Wilson would be a dynamic after-the-catch complement to the amazing Justin Jefferson with his smarts, quickness, route-running and hands.
Click here for Iyer's full mock draft.
Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports
Feb. 13, 2022
TRADE: Fornelli has Minnesota trading up to the No. 8 overall pick in a deal with Atlanta. He did not include compensation terms in his proposed trade.
The predicted pick at No. 8: Malik Willis, Quarterback, Liberty
The Vikings trade up with the Falcons to snag a QB. Malik Willis is the lottery ticket of this class. There's franchise QB upside to him, but there's also a high bust factor. Ideally, Willis could use some time to learn before being thrown into the fire, which is what makes Minnesota a good landing spot. Willis sits while Cousins finishes out his deal.
Click here for Fornelli's full mock draft.
Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Trent McDuffie, Cornerback, Washington
There are very few holes in McDuffie's game, and while he played mostly outside for the Huskies, he has the athleticism, physicality and smarts to be a chess piece in the Vikings' secondary.
Click here for Wilson's full mock draft.
Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports
Feb. 9, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
Gardner is a tall, Gumby-like cornerback who enters the NFL after a lockdown career at Cincinnati. The Vikings have to shore up the secondary.
Click here for Trapasso's full mock draft.
Josh Edwards of CBS Sports
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: George Karlaftis, Edge Rusher, Purdue
Minnesota's two biggest needs are probably cornerback and edge rusher. The Browns, which is where Kwesi Adofo-Mensah hails, paid big money to Jadeveon Clowney last offseason and drafted cornerback Greg Newsome II in the first round. Those are cornerstone positions, and I could see Minnesota locking one down here.
Click here for Edwards' full mock draft.
Kyle Stackpole of CBS Sports
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Ahmad Gardner, Cornerback, Cincinnati
New General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and his staff addresses the defensive side of the ball with the ever-confident and aggressive Ahmad Gardner to sure up the Vikings secondary.
Click here for Stackpole's full mock draft.
Bleacher Report
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
After spending first-round picks on cornerbacks in 2015, 2018 and 2020, the Minnesota Vikings go back to the well here. In this case, such a move is both practical and laden with value.
As a true freshman, Stingley looked like a future top-five pick. He played as well as any defensive back ever has at his age during LSU's national championship run.
However, potential concerns over a slight downturn in performance and a foot injury that prevented him from playing in all but three games this past season add a certain amount of risk.
The Vikings wouldn't necessarily ask Stingley to step in and cover an opponent's top receiver right away. [Patrick] Peterson could serve as an excellent mentor for Stingley if the Vikings re-sign him, helping the 20-year-old establish the right habits and learn how to be a professional at the onset of his NFL career.
Click here for Bleacher Report's full mock draft.
Brentley Weissman of The Draft Network
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Jermaine Johnson, Edge Rusher, Florida State
Jermaine Johnson stole the show in last week's Senior Bowl and was arguably the best player in Mobile. He is coming off a dominant season at Florida State and offers a well-rounded game as an edge defender. He has very good length, get-off, bend, and has excellent power against the pass and run. He is truly a three-down edge whose best football is still ahead of him. The Vikings have needed more edge help for the last few years and finally got some here.
Click here for Weissman's full mock draft.
Joe Marino of The Draft Network
Feb. 7, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
Even though Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer are no longer in the mix in Minnesota, the Vikings are still in need of cornerback help as recent investments have failed to pan out.
Derek Stingley, Jr., is an immensely gifted player that delivered an elite true freshman campaign. While his contributions since haven't been comparable, the talent around him and injuries are key factors to consider. He has an extremely high ceiling should he find that 2019 form.
Click here for Marino's full mock draft.
Bryan Fischer of Athlon Sports
Feb. 14, 2022
The predicted pick at No. 12: Derek Stingley, Jr., Cornerback, LSU
As much as the new regime in place could do with a fresh start under center, this isn't the class to risk a choice on a QB. Stingley has a top grade from many despite various issues the last two years and, if healthy, can slot in as the top corner almost right away as a rookie given his fluid movement skills.
Click here for Fischer's full mock draft.
