NFL Mock Draft 2020: Way-too-early look at projected first round

The Vikings want to get younger and more versatile up front, and it was expected that they would look at grabbing a defensive tackle early in the 2019 draft. Instead, they didn’t take an interior defensive lineman until grabbing Arkansas’s Armon Watts in the sixth round.

The Vikings lost Sheldon Richardson in free agency and Linval Joseph will turn 31 during next season. An athletic, young defensive lineman will be at the top of Minnesota’s needs next offseason.

Alabama’s Raekwon Davis was long considered a first round prospect throughout the 2018 season, but an overall disappointing year saw him unexpectedly return to Tuscaloosa for his senior season.

Coming off of an 8.5 sack season as a sophomore, Davis regressed to just 1.5 sacks as a junior. With his physical gifts, it was surprising to see him be such a non-factor. Alabama’s lack of depth up front certainly didn’t help, as Davis was forced to play more snaps than would have been preferable. Increased depth on the defensive line should allow him to remain fresher in 2019.

Davis has excellent physical tools at 6-foot-7 and 309 pounds. He’s played defensive end in Alabama’s 3-4 scheme, but would be best suited to move to a 3-technique defensive tackle in the NFL.