After a disappointing 6-10 season, the Minnesota Vikings are set to select 12th in the 2011 NFL Draft, and have plenty of needs to address. In the latest edition of the NFL Mock Draft at SB Nation, football writer Brian Galliford has the Vikings using their first-round choice on USC offensive tackle Tyron Smith.
According to Galliford, Minnesota has “needs aplenty,” and its highest priority should be upgrading at quarterback. But another item on the Vikings’ to-do list ought to be “fix[ing] their once-dominant offensive line,” he says.
Weight will prove key to Smith’s draft prospects, as Galliford believes a weigh-in in the 300-pound range could make him the first offensive lineman to come off the draft board.
There aren’t any quarterback solutions to be found in the draft, but Daily Norseman, SB Nation’s Vikings blog, suggests the Vikings should try trading for Kevin Kolb of the Philadelphia Eagles, but only if the asking price isn’t too high.