This appears to be a good year for defensive tackles in the NFL draft, and that is great news for the Minnesota Vikings because they'll be picking 23rd and could really use one. The Vikings are looking to take their team to the next level after a surprising playoff trip in 2012, and one of the major components to that will be getting a big man in the middle. Which player could that be?

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Dan Kadar released his mock draft on Monday and had the Vikings taking Sharrif Floyd out of Florida with the 23rd pick, which could conceivably be a steal if he fell that far. Some have Floyd going inside the top 10. So in the scenario that Floyd is not available, what could Minnesota do instead? Walter Football's latest mock has another big man falling to the Vikings, this time it's Johnathan Hankins out of Ohio State:

Defensive tackle is a huge issue right now; Kevin Williams will turn 33 in August, and there's no one of note playing next to him. Letroy Guion is a decent rotational guy but should not be a starter. Johnathan Hankins is too good to pass up at this juncture.

Hankins could be a good get for the Vikings, as would Floyd, but both could be considered "fallers" if they dropped to No. 23. The Vikings still have other needs and could grab a wide receiver like Keenan Allen or Tavon Austin, but otherwise have several directions they could go.

It's all a matter of how the cookie crumbles on draft day.