2019 NFL Mock Draft: Minnesota Vikings Select TE T.J. Hockenson at No. 18

With the 18th pick in the 2019 DBN Community NFL Mock Draft, the Minnesota Vikings select...

T.J. Hockenson, TE, Iowa

The selection and write-up were made by impulseCTRLissues:

Don’t say it, I know: ”The most glaring need for the Vikes is Offensive Line.” This pick came down to three names: Andre Dillard, Cody Ford, or TJ Hockenson.

- Hockenson because he is IMHO the best talent left on the board, and Kyle Rudolph, despite not missing a game since 2014 is in his 9th season and the last year of his contract.

- Dilliard projects as a LT. Do you move the rookie, or Reily Reiff (3rd year of a 5 year deal) to the inside?

- Ford Projects as guard, but that’s a position change from tackle, where he played in college.

I saw everything here as a bit of a compromise. I decided I didn’t want to move Reiff or play Dillard inside. Ford vs. Hockenson, then, was an easy decision. Hockenson is the consensus “best TE in the draft”. He just might be one of the top-ten overall talents in the draft, and I’m frankly shocked to see him still on the board. The Vikes go for talent, and perhaps try to move up in the second round if Ford slips out of the first.

Pokorny: “Hockenson is such a good tight end prospect that Dane Brugler of CBS Sports has him as his 6th-ranked player in the draft. Tight end may not be an immediate need for the Vikings, but it’s a bold pick to inject some more life into the offense.”

The Tennessee Titans are up next, led by UberTater.