The Minnesota Vikings have four picks in the 2025 NFL Draft to get the right pieces in place, so finding a steal in the later rounds is paramount.
Minnesota currently holds a first, third, fifth, and sixth-round pick in this year's draft. The Vikings entered the offseason as one of the oldest teams in the NFL with an average age of 28. It didn't help matters that the team signed or re-signed five players who are 30 or older in free agency.
With limited options to bring in young talent, how should the Vikings attack the second and third days of the NFL Draft?
ESPN assembled a collaborative article featuring NFL beat reporters, along with draft experts Matt Miller and Jordan Reid, who shared their top three positions of need and prospects to target outside the first round. Reid suggested that Minnesota get Tennessee defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott in the second to third round range.
"After adding Allen and Hargrave in splash-free agent moves, Minnesota could another pass rush specialist. Norman-Lott played sporadically this season (20 or more snaps in only five out of 13 games), but his hand power and explosiveness were unmatched."
Norman-Lott began his college career at Arizona State for three seasons before transferring to the Volunteers for his final two. In 23 career games in the orange and white uniform, he racked up 44 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery.
What makes Norman-Lott a fascinating prospect is his explosive ability to get off the line for a tackle and his help on first and second down in stopping the run. He's never played more than 33 snaps in a game, which brings concerns about how much he can be used each week.
Hitting around the 290-pound range, Norman-Lott would be one of the lighter defensive linemen on the team. He would fit well in Minnesota's rotation to learn behind guys like Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen, and Harrison Phillips.
Norman-Lott is worth considering in the third round, if still available, to develop and build the foundation for the defensive line in the upcoming years.
Related: ESPN Suggests Three Positions of Need for Vikings in NFL Draft
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This story was originally published April 2, 2025 at 9:54 AM.