What the Vikings 2020 NFL Draft Class Shows About Their Future Plans

The Vikings 2020 NFL Draft class was praised by just about every analyst out there. They received high marks across the board and brought in 15 talented rookies to compete for roster spots this year. Looking at the players they took and where they took them can also give us an idea of what the team is thinking in regards to certain players and positions currently on their roster. Here's what we can learn from looking more closely at the Vikings 2020 draft class.

Plan to extend dalvin cook

One interesting thing about the Vikings' 2020 draft class was that it did not include a single running back. The team had 15 choices in all and not one was used on a runner. This wasn't that surprising as the team was pretty deep at the position. With Dalvin Cook topping the depth chart followed by Alexander Mattison, and Mike Boone behind him, the Vikings have three backs who have shown they can be productive runners in the NFL.

The only thought was with Cook entering a contract year and the team short on funds to sign him to an extension, there was a possibility the Vikings could use one of their many picks on a running back in the mid-rounds for insurance in case a long-term extension couldn't be reached. The fact they didn't draft a running back leads one to believe that the team fully expects to extend their star running back this offseason or even during the 2020 season. Rick Spielman also stated in a recent press conference that the team believes in rewarding its players, and if anyone deserves a reward for their recent play, it is definitely Cook, who is coming off a season where he ran for 1,135 yards, 13 touchdowns and 53 receptions for 519 yards.

move Riley reiff to left guard

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One major need heading into the draft for the Vikings was at guard. They cut Josh Kline back in March and failed to replace him with a free agent. With the struggling Pat Elflein and unproven Dru Samia topping the depth chart, the Vikings were widely expected to add a guard through the draft, perhaps as early as the second day. Instead, they waited until their very last pick and took a small school standout in Washburn's Kyle Hinton.

What the team did do was draft Ezra Cleveland in the second round. While that pick provided plenty of value, as he was expected by many to be a first-round selection, the general thought was that he needs to add strength and wouldn't be ready to see the field early in his career. The recent talk coming out of the Vikings' camp suggests they believe he can see the field much earlier. If that's the case, perhaps the Vikings didn't take a guard because they believe they already have a starter on the roster. That starter would be Riley Reiff. Reiff played left guard in college and could be asked to move inside as his NFL career begins its closing chapters. He'd be a big improvement over Pat Elflein, and then the right guard spot could become an open competition in camp with the best man winning the job.

plan to extend Anthony harris

Another big need heading into the 2020 NFL Draft for the Vikings was at safety. Like with the guard position, the Vikings held off adding any talent here until the final two rounds of the draft. They had no depth whatsoever, and taking Josh Metellus and Brian Cole solved that issue. The question was what the team was going to do about Anthony Harris. The Vikings franchised him, and then made it known he was available for trade. They supposedly began talks on a contract extension and those fell apart. Rumors once again circulated that he was available for trade and that he could get moved during the draft. That didn't happen, and Harris remains on the team.

Not only does Harris remain on the team, but the fact the team held off adding safety help until late shows that it could be looking to extend him. If the Vikings truly believed Harris wasn't in their long-term plans they would've drafted a safety much earlier. They would've taken a player like Xavier McKinney, Antoine Winfield Jr., or Jeremy Chinn, who were all seen as players who could start as rookies. The safeties the Vikings took are both guys who will need multiple seasons to develop and are not close to starting. They wouldn't have waited so long to address this need and take project players if they didn't believe a contract extension with Anthony Harris was imminent.

100% behind kirk cousins 

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Prior to the draft starting, there were questions as to whether or not the Vikings would draft a quarterback. They surely didn't need to, having recently extended Kirk Cousins and re-signed Sean Mannion. They also had a young quarterback on the practice squad in Jake Browning, so drafting a quarterback to groom was considered a luxury, and a route the Vikings would go only if the value was too good to pass on. The Vikings did end up taking a quarterback, but it wasn't until Iowa's Nate Stanley in the seventh round.

The only guy who needs to worry about Nate Stanley joining the team is Browning. Those two will battle it out this preseason to be the Vikings developmental quarterback. The team waited until late to draft a quarterback, and this signifies they are 100% behind Kirk Cousins for the time being.

Not only did they not draft a quarterback, but they gave Cousins plenty of help to succeed in the three years to come. They gave him an explosive young weapon in Justin Jefferson and some protection in Cleveland, the second-round choice from Boise State. If the team would've taken a quarterback as early as the second round, there would've been plenty of rumblings that they weren't convinced Cousins is the guy, but waiting until the seventh round shows Cousins is the quarterback both Mike Zimmer and Spielman are tying their fates to.

plan on going with a young group of cornerbacks

The Vikings' biggest need heading into the 2020 draft was the cornerback position. They had inexperience at the top and very substandard depth. They cut Xavier Rhodes in the preseason and then lost both Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander in free agency. The team hit the position hard in the draft, taking two corners in the first three rounds. They took one more in round five and then signed another after the draft. The Vikings did an excellent job addressing this area of need, and now have a new starter in Jeff Gladney and competition for every spot on their cornerback depth chart.

Having added four new corners in this year's draft and UDFA period is very telling. Not all of these guys will make the final 53-man roster, but if they keep even three of them, that shows they are willing to go with a young and inexperienced group of cornerbacks this season. If the team were to bring in a veteran, they would have to cut one of these talented youngsters and may not want to risk losing one to another team.

The Vikings could just decide that the veteran leadership in their secondary this season will come from the safety position. Harrison Smith has been in the league going on nine years, and Harris has been around since 2015. They have seen it all and know Zimmer's defense even better than he does. They can help these youngsters acclimate to the NFL game and help them get lined up correctly.