Yes, it’s that time of year again
With only three games remaining in the 2024 NFL season. . .yes, we’ve hit that time of the year again. . .we’ll soon be focusing on the offseason, including the 2025 NFL Draft. That means that it’s also mock draft season, and the unofficial start of that has come to us today.
Yes, today marks the first mock draft of the year being provided to us by Mel Kiper. . .dramatic pause. . .Draft Expert.
I know that Kiper might not be especially popular anymore and it’s sort of en vogue to rip on the guy or whatever. He’s still the most well-known name in the draft industry and his first mock does sort of mark the start of the transition from the current NFL season to the next one.
Anyway, you can find his mock behind the great E$PN paywall, but we’ll let you in on who he has the Minnesota Vikings selecting. Stop me if you’ve heard something like this in recent years, but he has the purple addressing the cornerback position with the selection of Notre Dame’s Benjamin Morrison.
Here’s what Kiper had to say about the selection:
Minnesota has big-time cornerback questions. All three starters — Stephon Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin and slot guy Byron Murphy Jr. — are free agents, along with backup Fabian Moreau. So, even though the Vikings led the NFL in interceptions by quite a bit (24, five more than second best), they might have to restock their CB room in the draft. Morrison missed all but six games in 2024 with a hip injury, but he’s a top-tier cover man. He has sound technique, and he has the ball skills to keep Minnesota’s INT total high. Morrison had nine picks and 21 pass breakups over his career.
It seems like mock drafts have been calling for the Vikings to address the cornerback position roughly forever. The Vikings have tried that route, but it hasn’t worked out for them for a number of reasons.
What do you think of Mel Kiper’s pick for the Vikings in the 2025 NFL Draft in his first mock of the year, folks?
