It’s mock draft season, baby!
Most mock drafts have the Vikings taking an offensive lineman in the first round.
The Ringer’s latest mock draft is not one of those.
Danny Kelly (who has done a great job with draft coverage) has the Vikings taking Michigan linebacker Devin Bush with the 18th-overall pick.
It makes sense with the Vikings likely to lose Pro Bowl linebacker Anthony Barr in free agency.
Here’s what Kelly wrote about Bush:
Super-athletic off-ball linebacker with a hard-nosed demeanor and sought-after playmaking instincts in coverage.
Bush ran a 4.43 40-yard dash and it’s scary thinking what Mike Zimmer could do with him on the defensive side of the ball.
I’d be totally fine with this pick if the Vikings address the offensive line in free agency, and with their second-round pick.
Getting a guy like Rodger Saffold in free agency could allow the Vikings some flexibility to not go with the offensive line in the first round. Plus, the Vikings have shown interest in bringing guard Nick Easton back.
