Minnesota Vikings 7-round NFL Mock Draft with no trades, as it's becoming increasingly unlikely to move down

With only four picks at their disposal, the Minnesota Vikings don't have a lot of options when it comes adding a significant amount of talent. The prevailing thought is that they will trade down to acquire more selections.

What happens if they can't do that? Trading down takes two to tango and it's not always something you can do, even if you make an effort. That's how we are approaching this mock draft, as it's worth exploring this close to the NFL Draft.

Minnesota Vikings 7 Round NFL Mock Draft

24. Walter Nolen, DT, Ole Miss

One of the tough parts about predicting for the Vikings is discerning what direction they will end up going. Defensive tackle and interior offensive line seem to be the likely destinations, but general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's comments about building his own trade chart help answer that question.

"I built the chart myself. I've seen other different charts, and they all take different assumptions that, or quite frankly, this is a hard exercise. How do you value a great player in a great position? You could assign a number to it, right, when you assign that number to it does that incorporate the scarcity of that type of player? If you don't get that player in the draft, you can't typically get that player in free agency. So how do you put a number on that aspect of it? It's in different people at different ways of doing that."

It's not often that you can get a difference-making defensive tackle outside of the first round, let alone free agency. Nolen certainly has his deficiencies, especially with double teams, but he possesses a high-end profile when it comes to rushing the passer. The combination of size and explosiveness is second-to-none in this class, plus he has some power in his hands, but needs to be more consistent in that realm. 

With how much defensive coordinator Brian Flores likes to stunt, it's Nolen's specialty and he thrived at doing just that at Ole Miss.

97. Cobee Bryant, CB, Kansas

Continuing to find youth at the cornerback position should be a never-ending task for the Vikings, and any NFL team for that matter. The falloff can come very quickly for cornerbacks since it's a position where athleticism is very important.

Bryant is a member of the All-Forno Team as one of my favorite players in the class. He's 6' flat and 180 lbs, but don't let that discourage you. Bryant is a fierce player in coverage. He stays in the hip pocket consistently and doesn't let the receiver get easy separation. Bryant also attacks the ball with aggression.

What will intrigue Flores is Bryant's ability to play in zone and crash downhill. He's not a track star, but plenty fast enough to be a successful NFL cornerback.

139. Brashard Smith, RB, SMU

Running back is a position that should be addressed in this draft. It's a very deep group of running backs that could see around 30 different ones drafted. Yes, the Vikings have both Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason at their disposal, but getting a developmental running back who can also complement the current room would be ideal.

Smith fits the bill and then some. At Miami, he was a wide receiver but switched to running back when he got to SMU. He thrived right away, showing the ability to run in between the tackles and vision in the open field. Smith might need a year to keep developing to be in the top two, but there is a lot of juice there.

187. Malachi Moore, S, Alabama

Safety is a position in limbo when it comes to the future. Josh Metellus is set to be a free agent after the season, and you cannot count on Harrison Smith to play another season. Finding depth for now is a good idea, and they can potentially develop into a starter down the line.

Moore is one of the more underrated prospects in the NFL Draft class. He can do a little bit of everything on the back end: play in the slot, play two-high, and get in the box and play the run. He doesn't have the elite speed you'd like him to have, but the versatility and anticipation help make up for it.