2020 NFL Mock Draft: First round projections after Week 1

It’s been a while since we had our vegetables. Minnesota has tried to help out its offensive line but it seems like those veggies keep getting swept under the table for the dog to eat. Whether it’s going to be Kirk Cousins for the foreseeable future or a younger replacement, there needs to be better protection at the tackle position than what has been in Minnesota lately.

To the Vikings credit, they have taken an offensive lineman with one of their first two picks each of the last three years. It just isn’t good enough. The defense is loaded with talent, and the offense has skill everywhere else. There’s too much money being spent for the Vikings to resolve this offensive line issue with free agency, so it has to be the draft.

We’re getting to the point in the draft where college offensive tackles that can play offensive tackle in the NFL right away are likely already off the board. I think Liam Eichenberg can still do it though. He comes from one of those positional factories at Notre Dame that just continues to churn out great offensive linemen. Notre Dame values running the football so Eichenberg has that box checked, and he also has shown the ability to pass protect at a high level.

He has the size, strength, and athleticism to play this position in the NFL and the Vikings could be on their way to finally focusing on perfecting the other areas of their roster.