2013 NFL Mock Draft: Vikes select Cordarrelle Patterson

Minnesota is in desperate need of help on the outside, which is where Patterson fits in beautifully.

By Matt Verderame Mar 4, 2013, 9:31am CST

Last year, the Minnesota Vikings shocked many in the football world and made the playoffs with a 10-6 record, following the lead of running back/superhuman Adrian Peterson.

However, the Vikings have no wide receiving threat outside of Percy Harvin, making this pick a simple one for the purple gang. In our latest mock, SB Nation has Tennessee Volunteers wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson headed to the great north.

Patterson is arguably the best receiving prospect in the NFL Draft this year. The third receiver off the board in our projections behind DeAndre Hopkins and Keenan Allen, Patterson is a big-bodied athlete who can create space down the field and at the line of scrimmage at 6'3 and 205 pounds.

Like Harvin, Patterson also possesses great speed and can make a big play happen after the catch. If drafted, the Vikings would have a very dynamic tandem on the outside, forcing teams to rethink their eight-in-the-box approach against Peterson.