2021 NFL Mock Draft: Washington Football Team goes offense in Round 1
60. . Edge Rusher. Minnesota Vikings. Gregory Rousseau. 14. player
The Vikings never were able to get their defense off the ground last season. Part of the reason for that was that they were running with a very young group of cornerbacks, and it took them several games to figure out how to match up with NFL-caliber receivers without a preseason.
The second reason was the team’s lacking pass rush. Danielle Hunter was injured early in the season and wasn’t able to return to action. The team traded for Yannick Ngakoue before the season started, but they shipped him out when it became apparent that they weren’t a playoff contender and weren’t going to re-sign him.
That, plus some losses and opt-outs at the defensive tackle spot, really hurt Minnesota and Mike Zimmer won’t want that to happen again. He’ll probably invest in some pass rush help in the draft and at this point, Rousseau is a great value.
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Before sitting out the 2020 season, Rousseau was one of the best pass rushers in college football. He racked up a whopping 15.5 sacks for the Miami defense in 2019 and used his long, athletic, 6-foot-7, 265-pound frame to intimidate opposing tackles and win around the edge. He needs more experience — he basically played one college season — and he could stand to bulk up, but Zimmer should be able to get the most out of him.
Rousseau would be a nice partner in crime for Hunter, and getting single-team matchups early in his career could prove beneficial to Rousseau. As such, he’s a good fit here considering just how high his ceiling is as he gets more experience.
The other pass rusher to watch at this juncture is fellow Miami Hurricane Jaelan Phillips. Kwity Paye could also be in play if he doesn’t go as high as I currently have him going.