Way-too-early Minnesota Vikings 2023 NFL Draft preview

The 2023 NFL Draft is April 27-29 in Kansas City. Here is the projected first-round order, per Tankathon.

2022 record: 13-4 | Projected first-round pick: No. 28 | Team needs: CB, DL, interior offensive line, LB

Snapshot: Minnesota's 31st-ranked pass defense allowed the second-most passing yards (4,515), fourth-most receptions (408), and fifth-most yards per reception (11.7). So, the Vikings’ first pick could be a cornerback to fortify the secondary. Other possibilities in the first round include a run-blocking guard or perhaps a quarterback if one should fall.

Potential first-round picks: Siaki Ika, DT, Baylor; Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson; Christian Gonzalez, CB, Oregon; Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah; Broderick Jones, OL, Georgia; Tanner McKee, QB, Stanford

Don't rule out Minnesota taking a quarterback of the future even though Kirk Cousins is under contract through 2023. Florida's Anthony Richardson or Stanford’s Tanner McKee are possibilities, but the Vikings should look to upgrade the defense first, starting with the secondary.

Phillips III is a physical cornerback who has perhaps the best coverage skills of any player in the draft. He was tied for the second-most interceptions (six) in the NCAA in 2022. His size (5-foot-10, 183 pounds) will likely keep him from being taken in the top 20. 

"Always seems to be around the football," Pro Football Focus wrote about the Utah star.

A bit of a ball-hawking cornerback, Gonzalez plays a similar game to Minnesota’s Patrick Peterson. He had four interceptions and nine forced incompletions in 2022.

Minnesota had just 38 sacks in 2022, with only 5.5 by defensive linemen. A big-bodied defender such as Ika (6-foot-4, 357 pounds) could plug running lanes and allow the front seven to pressure the quarterback.

Another potential option would be to take the biggest, strongest interior offensive lineman. Jones, Oklahoma’s Anton Harrison and Syracuse’s Matthew Bergeron fit the bill.