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NFL Mock Draft 2012: Minnesota Expected To Select OL Matt Kalil

The Minnesota Vikings are still expected to select left tackle Matt Kalil in the latest edition of SB Nation's NFL Mock Draft.

The Vikings own the third pick and have needed to shore up the left tackle position since the departure of Bryant McKinnie last summer. Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder struggled at times with defensive pressure, as the Vikings gave up the fifth most sacks in the NFL last season.

Here's what Ryan Van Bibber of SB Nation had to say about the pick:

Matt Kalil is the best offensive tackle in the draft since Jake Long, a true franchise cornerstone. I would not be surprised to see the Vikings skip over him given the current state of affairs. Morris Claiborne is a good pick and fits a need, but when trying to rebuild a team around a first-round quarterback, a left tackle of Kalil's talent is just too good to be true.

Kalil, 22, played three college seasons at USC where he was named an All-American and won the Morris Trophy. He is listed at six-foot-7, 297 pounds.

For more on the Minnesota Vikings, check out The Daily Norseman. For more on the NFL Draft, check out the NFL Draft hub at SB Nation.

Photographs by Micah Taylor, clairity, and Fibonacci Blue used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.