Vikings Predicted to Land 'Freak' Harrison Smith Successor in NFL Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft is considered more wide than tall, meaning there is more starter-level talent in the middle of the draft than superstars at the top.

That's led many to believe that the Minnesota Vikings may trade back from the No. 24 overall pick. If there is not a bluechip difference-maker left on the board, the Vikings could prefer to land two potential starters later in the draft.

However, the Vikings have loaded their roster, adding 14 newcomers to the tune of nearly $300 million, enough to feel comfortable taking the best player available.

Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar offered one prospect in his latest mock draft that could be worth the decision to stick-and-pick -- an heir apparent to Harrison Smith.

Ten days before the draft, Farrar made the case for the Vikings to draft South Carolina safety Nick Emmanwori.

From Farrar:

Over the last two seasons, [Brian] Flores has been the NFL's most binary play-caller in that he's led the league in snaps of six or more pass-rushers AND three or fewer pass-rushers. When you are as deep on either side of the curve as that, you need defensive backs (especially safeties) who are position-agnostic, because depending on the rush, those guys could be in five different roles in one drive. That's why Josh Metellus has been Flores' Everywhere Weapon, because Flores needs that guy on that wall.

Adding Emmanwori would give the Vikings a more athletic version of that guy. At 6-foot-3 1/8 and 220 pounds, he had himself a historic combine in which he blew away the percentiles. Of course, none of that matters if the tape isn't any good. Last season, playing literally every possible position he could, Emmanwori allowed 24 catches on 38 targets for 200 yards, 73 yards after the catch, no touchdowns, four interceptions, three pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 37.1. With his physical gifts, Emmanwori could be that next do-it-all guy for Flores, who requires it to make his petri-dish defenses work.

Farrar is not alone in his assesment. According to A to Z Sports' Tyler Forness, Emmanwori is the player mock-drafted to the Vikings the most this draft with over 84 selections so far.

Emmanwori was the No. 1 player on The Athletic's Bruce Feldman's Freak List and proved Feldman right at the combine. 

He tested as the most athletic safety prospect since 1987, posting a 4.38 40-time (94th percentile), a 43-inch vertical (98th percentile) and 138-inch broad jump (98th percentile) at a hulkish 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame for the safety position.

While safety isn't considered a premier position, Flores' defense elevates the position and gets more out of his safeties than any other scheme.

Flores' defense requires a higher level of football IQ, and it would unquestionably take some time for Emmanwori to grasp. However, with Metellus and Smith there to teach him all the nuances of each spot, Emmanwori would be in an ideal scenario to reach the immense ceiling that his athletic profile has on tap.