2014 NFL Draft: 5 Prospects Who Minnesota Vikings Must Avoid

By Nick Baker

2014 NFL Draft: 5 Prospects Who Minnesota Vikings Must Avoid

5 Prospects The Minnesota Vikings Must Avoid — The Minnesota Vikings filled plenty of holes through free agent signings, but the draft is the last step before the clock turns to the 2014 NFL season. The Vikings are still looking for their franchise quarterback, but they should be weary of the following five prospects as they are either bad fits or overhyped talents.

5. Anthony Barr - OLB, UCLA

Anthony Barr - OLB, UCLA

5. Anthony Barr - OLB, UCLA

Anthony Barr - OLB, UCLA — Anthony Barr is a pure speed rusher, and for that reason he would not be a good fit for the Vikings. He’s relatively new to the linebacker position and has a high ceiling because of his physical tools, but he doesn’t posses the cover skills to be an outside linebacker in the Vikings’ 4-3 base defense.

4. Mike Evans - WR, Texas A&M

Mike Evans - WR, Texas A&M

4. Mike Evans - WR, Texas A&M

Mike Evans - WR, Texas A&M — Mike Evans is a great talent and receiver, but right now the Vikings are set with Greg Jennings, Cordarrelle Patterson and the recently re-signed Jerome Simpson. Evans is a player I’d love to see in the purple and gold, but with a logjam already forming at wide receiver, the Vikings likely won't target the position till the later rounds.

3. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - S, Alabama

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - S, Alabama

3. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - S, Alabama

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix - S, Alabama — I thought it was a given the Vikings wouldn’t be targeting a safety early, but after seeing them selecting Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in a recent mock draft, I felt inclined to include the Alabama safety. The Vikings have questions at the strong safety position, but with Andrew Sendejo showing promise and a good ability to stop the run, I think he will become an instant favorite of Mike Zimmer’s.

2. Blake Bortles - QB, UCF

Blake Bortles - QB, UCF

2. Blake Bortles - QB, UCF

Blake Bortles - QB, UCF — Although Blake Bortles is one of the top-ranked quarterbacks in the 2014 draft class, he has too many questions surrounding his game to justify an eighth overall selection. Norv Turner likes the traditional big-bodied quarterbacks, but the Vikings would be better served going in a different direction at the game's most important position.

1. Stanley Jean-Baptiste - CB, Nebraska

Stanley Jean-Baptiste - CB, Nebraska

1. Stanley Jean-Baptiste - CB, Nebraska

Stanley Jean-Baptiste - CB, Nebraska — The Minnesota Vikings should be looking to draft another tall cornerback to play opposite Xavier Rhodes, but Stanley Jean-Baptiste isn’t deserving of the recent hype directed his way. The scouts love his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame, but Baptiste often gets beat deep by fast receivers, has trouble locating the ball in the air, and is a very inconsistent tackler in the run game.

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