Vikings

NFL Mock Draft 2013: Robert Woods could be under the radar pick for Vikings

Could the Minnesota Vikings get a young, talented receiver like Robert Woods in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft?

By James Brady@jamesbradyisme Apr 22, 2013, 11:50am CDT

The Minnesota Vikings entered this offseason with one big problem, and a lot of expectations. The problem was wide receiver Percy Harvin, which the team took care of by trading him to the Seattle Seahawks for, among other things, a first-round selection in the 2013 NFL Draft. The expectations came from the team making the playoffs last season after being one of the league's worst teams the previous year.

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With such a competitive division, they'll need to build and have a strong offseason to make an improvement on where they were last season. Fortunately, the first-round pick they traded for should help nicely, given their needs.

Now they pick at No. 23 and No. 25 in the first round. Dan Kadar of SB Nation released his latest mock draft on Monday, and he has the Vikings taking Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown with the first of the team's two picks:

The Vikings need young athleticism on defense and Brown is the most athletic linebacker in the draft. He's not the most powerful player and will need to be kept clean by the defensive line. But he can get to the ball in a hurry and finish nicely.

Brown definitely makes sense for the Vikings. They've been looking for some help at the position for some time now and Brown has been rising up draft boards this offseason. You can find his scouting report here. With the No. 25 pick, Kadar gives the Vikings Southern California wide receiver Robert Woods:

It's easy to forget that entering the 2012 college football season, Woods was routinely talked about as the top wide receiver in the nation. He was slowed by injuries last season and got overshadowed by sensation Marqise Lee. But Woods is a savvy route runner with good hands. He gets the nod over Keenan Allen because he's a more dependable player.

Both players would definitely help the Vikings a great deal, but the Woods pick is among the most interesting in the first round of this draft. He's been very under the radar, but before his injury issues, he was one of, if not the top wide receiver in the nation, and could be a huge get for the Harvin-less Vikings.