2019 NFL Draft: Projected First Round after NFL Combine

Upgrading the offensive line will be arguably the Vikings’ biggest priority this offseason, and they shouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger if Jawaan Taylor slips to them at No. 18. The Vikings struggled all year to protect Kirk Cousins; the former Redskin was under constant harassment.

Minnesota’s run game also took a step backwards, with the Vikings finishing 30th in the NFL in rushing offense. With little time to find open receivers and no running game to lean on, Cousins and Minnesota regressed from an NFC Championship Game berth the year before and missed the playoffs altogether.

Cousins was supposed to take the team over the top, proving to be a big upgrade over Case Keenum, but the Vikings are another in a long line of case studies that prove that you are never really just a quarterback away from contending.

With offensive line being the top priority, that would likely bring this selection down to Taylor and NC State center/guard Garrett Bradbury. Both are talented, and while Bradbury might be a cleaner fit right away, Taylor also checks the box as the best player available with this selection.

I can’t imagine the Vikings passing on an offensive linemen, but Michigan linebacker Devin Bush impressed at the combine and could be an intriguing option for a team in need of a versatile young linebacker.