While working together in college at Louisville, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and incoming rookie receiver DeVante Parker were a highly productive combination. In their two seasons together, Parker caught 95 passes for 1,629 yards (17.1 yards per reception) and 22 touchdowns. Bridgewater was a first-round pick in 2014, and Parker will be one this year.
2015 NFL mock draft: Trae Waynes to Minnesota Vikings at No. 11
Our resident NFL Draft guru, Dan Kadar, is not a big fan of the Minnesota Vikings’ first-round pick in the SB Nation NFL writers’ mock draft.
Christopher Gates, manager of SB Nation’s Vikings community, Daily Norseman, had an opportunity to reunite Bridgewater and Parker in our 2015 NFL mock draft. He resisted that temptation, however, and took his No. 11 overall pick in a different direction ... much to the chagrin of our resident NFL Draft expert, Dan Kadar.
11. Vikings: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
More from our team site
More from our team site
Gates: Unfortunately for the Vikings, the board doesn’t really match up with their biggest needs (left guard, middle linebacker, safety). With Brandon Scherff having gone two spots before this one, we turn to the player who might be the best available the way the scenario has fallen.
Trae Waynes is considered by many to be the best corner in this year’s class, and with the offenses in the NFC North, you can never have enough good defensive backs. At 6’1 with good cover skills, there’s a good chance that Waynes could step into the starting lineup across from Xavier Rhodes right away and push Captain Munnerlyn permanently into a slot role, which is where he should probably be anyway.
A player like Landon Collins might be a bit of a reach at this spot, and while a reunion between Bridgewater and Parker might be fun, Waynes is probably the best available player in this scenario, and he could help a young, talented Minnesota defense take another step.
Dan Kadar, SBNation.com: A reunion of Parker and Bridgewater would be much more than simply fun. Parker could be the No. 1 wide receiver the Vikings currently don’t have on the roster. Mike Wallace isn’t that anymore. Charles Johnson and Cordarrelle Patterson are projects, to a degree. Even coming out of college, Parker seems like a sure thing. There’s nothing wrong with Waynes, but does a No. 2 cornerback make the team better than a player like Parker would?
Dan’s Top 5 players remaining
- 6. Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia
- 9. DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville
- 10. Dante Fowler, DE, Florida
- 13. Eddie Goldman, DT, Florida State
- 15. Marcus Peters, CB, Washington
Vikings picks
- 1-11: Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State
- 2-45: (coming April 10)
Coming up at 3 p.m. ET, our final pick of the day: the Cleveland Browns at No. 12 overall, with the selection made by our friends at Dawgs By Nature. Stay tuned.
SB Nation presents: NFC North team needs for the 2015 NFL Draft
See More:
