The Minnesota Vikings selected offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw out of Virginia Tech after trading down from the No. 14 overall pick to No. 23 in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Vikings gained the No. 23, No. 66, and No. 86 pick for the No. 14 and No. 143 selection.
Darrisaw was tipped by many to be a potential top-15 pick. He will fill a major hole on the offensive line following the release of left tackle Riley Reiff.
A strong pass protector, Darrisaw should immediately help keep Kirk Cousins clean heading into the quarterback's fourth season with the team.
Minnesota has prioritized improving its offensive line in recent years, taking tackle Brian O'Neill in the second round of 2018, center Garrett Bradbury in the first round of 2019, and tackle Ezra Cleveland in the second round of 2020.
Draft profile
Ideal position: Left tackle, right tackle
A breakout 2020 season landed Darrisaw in the first-round conversation - he didn't allow a single sack and displayed a newfound level of patience. While the former Hokie improved in pass protection, he shines in the run game. Darrisaw moves defenders off their spot with ease and he never loses leverage due to excellent hand placement. His floor is quite high and he'll likely start as a rookie, but Darrisaw's average athleticism and movement skills may have some teams question whether he can consistently win versus explosive NFL pass-rushers. This puts him a step below this draft's top tier of blockers, but he's still a well-rounded tackle.
