The Senior Bowl, one of the key dates on the calendar that signals the start of NFL Draft season, arrives on Saturday, and the Minnesota Vikings are being linked to one of the early standouts from practices in Mobile, Alabama.
Kyle Crabbs of the 33rd Team released his latest mock draft on Tuesday, and he predicts the Vikings will add South Carolina defensive tackle T.J. Sanders with the 24th pick in April’s draft.
Interior pass rush is among Minnesota’s top team needs entering the new league year, and while the undrafted Jalen Redmond was a major bright spot for the team in 2024, Sanders projects as an upgrade over guys like Jonathan Bullard and Jerry Tillery. He notched 11 sacks over his three seasons in South Carolina, including 33 total pressures, five sacks and 24 run stuffs during his junior year.
The Vikings could go a number of different directions with the 24th pick. They’ve been mocked running backs, safeties and cornerbacks — three other positions of need — by draft analysts already, and it’s highly possible that GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks to trade back in a draft where his Vikings hold just four total selections.
With that said, Minnesota’s overall pass rush ranked 24th in the NFL in 2024, according to PFF’s premium stats. Adding an impact player on the interior can change the complexion of an entire defense, so it would make sense for Adofo-Mensah and the Vikings to target a player of Sanders’ ilk in the first round.
