Vikings Linked to ‘Insanely Athletic’ Draft Prospect With No. 11 Overall Pick

The Minnesota Vikings have to address their quarterback situation.

That doesn’t mean they can ignore the other positions of need on the roster. And those needs happen to be on both sides of the ball.

It would not be surprising to see the Vikings draft a defensive lineman with several of theirs becoming free agents this offseason. But most of their losses are on the edge. Their top three pass rushers will hit the market on March 13.

Still, the Vikings could be eyeing Texas’ Byron Murphy II.

“Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II of Texas was a late Senior Bowl scratch and won’t be participating in practice,” SportsKeeda’s Tony Pauline wrote on January 30. “Murphy has been soaring up draft boards recently, and I mean flying. Word circulating during Shrine Bowl practices was that Murphy would be a top-20 pick and may not make it past the 15th selection.”

“The Minnesota Vikings, who desperately need a defensive tackle, are said to have a lot of interest in Murphy,” Pauline continued. “The insanely athletic defender, who is expected to test off the charts at the combine, would be a terrific fit for the Vikings defensive scheme.”

Potential Vikings Draft Target Byron Murphy Compared to Bills’ Ed Oliver

GettyEd Oliver #91 of the Buffalo Bills.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 297 pounds, Murphy drew a comparison to Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Ed Oliver from NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein

He finished this past season with a career-high 5.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.

“Muscular ball of explosiveness with the tools and talent to become a productive three-down defender in the right scheme,” Zierlein wrote about Murphy. “Twitchy first-step quickness combined with flexion and power in his lower half create a recipe for disruption as a gap shooter or as a pass rusher.

“Murphy is ascending and could become a successful nose tackle or 3-technique in an even front.”

Oliver was the No. 9 overall pick in 2019.

He has yet to make a Pro Bowl in five seasons. But he has recorded multiple sacks every year, including a career-high 9.5 this past season. That was the fifth-most sacks among interior defensive linemen. He also earned a four-year, $68 million contract extension last offseason.

Multiple mock drafts have linked the Vikings to a defensive tackle with the No. 11 overall pick. ESPN’s Daniel Jeremiah projected Murphy to them in his mock from January 21.

However, that may be off because of Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores.

Insider Questions Vikings’ Need for DT

GettyDefensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings.

“Flores … dispatched with conventional personnel usage across the board, in some cases at historic rates, in an attempt to reverse the team’s years-long defensive slide,” Seifert wrote on February 1. “Flores’ position-agnostic approach manifested most along the interior defensive line, a spot the Vikings have historically filled with elite-level playmakers.

“In 2023, however, … they had one or fewer defensive linemen on the field for roughly one-third of their total defensive plays, also a league-high since at least 2006.”

Seifert also points to down linemen not being playmakers in Flores’ scheme. Instead, it emphasizes pass rushers. Meanwhile, the down linemen occupy offensive linemen. It was something Vikings tackle Harrison Phillips admitted did not sit well with him initially.

Perhaps the Vikings still select a defensive tackle early. But No. 11 overall might be too early.