The Minnesota Vikings need help at the edge rusher position after losing sack artists Danielle Hunter to the Houston Texans and D.J. Wonnum to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
The Vikes did sign Jonathan Greenard to make up for those losses, but they still need more help alongside him, and recent reports suggest the team could have its eyes on a certain edge rusher out of the Pac12.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported that Minnesota is meeting with UCLA edge rusher and projected Day 3 pick Gabriel Murphy on Monday.
#UCLA edge Gabriel Murphy, projected as a Day 3 #NFLDraft pick, is visiting the #Vikings on Monday. Murphy, who has eight sacks in his final season with the Bruins, had a good showing at the Combine with a 4.68 40-yard dash. pic.twitter.com/jJFISos3gh
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 13, 2024
Murphy put up eight sacks in his last season at UCLA and ran an impressive 4.68 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine.
It was the breakout year Murphy needed after five years in college due to injury, with the first three being spent at North Texas.
The Vikings have a pair of fourth-round picks and a pair of fifth-round picks in this draft to go along with their two firsts at No. 11 and 23.
It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the Vikings could take two edge rushers out of UCLA, as projected first-rounder Laiatu Latu could be in play with one of the team’s two first-round picks.
Murphy will likely be a Day 3 pick due to his short arms and the knocks on his ability to shed blocks and set the edge against the run.
He is, however, a polished pass rusher with strong hand technique and a good ability to dip and bend, and would be a good depth piece for a team in need of edge-rushing help.
The post UCLA Prospect To Visit Vikings Next Week appeared first on The Cold Wire.