EAGAN, Minn. — The Vikings have eight picks including the No. 18 overall selection heading into the three-day 2019 NFL draft which begins Thursday at 7pm in Nashville, Tenn. KARE 11 will have live coverage from both U.S. Bank Stadium, where the Vikings are holding a fan party, and from the team's draft headquarters at TCO Performance Center in Eagan.
Draft gurus say the team will likely be looking to fill voids on the offensive line as well as adding defensive line depth with their early selections.According to Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman this year’s draft class has plenty of depth in the trenches.
“I know from our board this year and the way it’s developed, the depth of talent, especially on the offensive and defensive lines, is one of the strongest that I’ve seen in a while. I know on Thursday, Friday, those two picks Friday, as of today (Tuesday), you should be able to land some players who can come in and make an impact on your roster,” Spielman said during a pre-draft press conference at TCO Performance Center in Eagan earlier this week.
It’s no secret that there were offensive line issues for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was sacked 40 times last season.
Among the top offensive linemen in the 2019 NFL Draft are Alabama’s Jonah Williams, Oklahoma’s Cody Ford and Greg Little from Ole Miss. Williams is considered the top prospect among the trio with draft experts citing his footwork among his impressive traits.
The last time the Vikings selected an offensive lineman in the first round of the draft was Matt Kalil in 2012.
