But let’s not forget how many positions could still use fixing by way of the draft. For example, they’ve signed and re-signed multiple players on the 3-4 defensive line, but all of those additions, including newly acquired Jonah Williams (Rams) and Jerry Tillery (Raiders), along with the re-signing of Jonathan Bullard would look much better on the final 53-man roster as depth pieces, than they would as starters.

Yes, the linebacker group looks vastly improved already, with the additions of Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel, that will surely make some mid-round decisions in the draft much easier. But they could still use a lot of help on the edge and in the middle with that group of four, too.

The Minnesota Vikings’ biggest area of immediate need on defense, as of March 19, is probably at cornerback, given that room still looks way too much like the one last season that ranked 24th in the league in pass yards allowed per game.

Mel Kiper has Minnesota Vikings staying patient for JJ McCarthy

And that’s where iconic NFL Draft Analyst Mel Kiper’s most recent mock draft (3.0) comes into play. Kiper isn’t sold on this idea that the Vikings have preordained plans to trade their two 1st-round picks to move up into the top-10 next month.

Related: Vikings Believe Sam Darnold Has Fixed Mechanical Issues and They Brought Proof

Instead, he has them standing pat at No. 11, where they wait patiently for JJ McCarthy (a QB they’ve scheduled a private workout with next week) to fall to them… something many draft gurus do not believe will be an option. While it seems more and more unlikely that McCarthy is still available past the top ten, Kiper warns of a scenario where the Vikings are unable to find a partner willing to tango in any sort of major trade up.

Remember, it takes two sides to make a trade. Would the Giants want to risk missing out on one of the top receivers? Would the Titans want to risk missing out on their preferred tackle? Would the Falcons or Bears want to risk not getting the edge rusher they like? There’s not an easy match, unless Minnesota is willing to give up a lot of future picks, which is certainly possible.

[McCarthy] has intriguing physical traits and can make every throw. Either way, if Minnesota really wants to try to move up in Round 1 for a quarterback, I could see it waiting until draft day to see how the board shakes out.

Mel Kiper – Mock Draft 3.0 (ESPN+)

Fortunately for general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell, if the Vikings don’t have enough capital to move up… then it’s extremely unlikely other QB-hungry teams will have a move-up package that is any more enticing to offer rivals who hold the spots they covet (like the Cardinals and Chargers).

Related: Local NFL Insider Pretty Convinced Vikings Want Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye, Not JJ McCarthy

McCarthy is coming off of a national championship season where he threw for nearly 3000 yards and 22 touchdowns with only 4 interceptions on a 72% completion rate. He’s currently ranked as the No. 21 overall prospect on Kiper’s big board, but it’s expected that teams will take him in the top-5, if they have to.

With the No. 23 overall pick, Vikings select… Cooper DeJean – Iowa (?)

If Mel’s latest prediction were to end up correct, it would mean the Vikings get their QB of the future AND retain their newly acquired No. 23 overall pick to improve another area of the defense. But Kiper isn’t satisfied with just improving Minnesota’s defense with their second 1st round pick, he wants to help their special teams too… by adding top cornerback Cooper DeJean from Iowa.

If [the Vikings] are keeping this selection, they have to address a secondary that ranked 28th in passing yards allowed to receivers (3,019) last season. I like the front-seven additions of Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel, but Minnesota hasn’t made moves at cornerback.

He’s a ball hawk — he had seven interceptions over his final 23 college games — with excellent technique. He also isn’t afraid of sticking his head in and making a tackle.

Mel Kiper – Mock Draft 3.0 (ESPN+)

DeJean, mostly know for his infamous “fair catch” signal, is one of the best corners in the class, and Kiper has him as the 4th corner to go, behind Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold, and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins.

Related: Cooper DeJean Invalid Fair Catch was Correct Call But Kirk Ferentz is Crying Anyway

DeJean would add an immediate boost to an underwhelming Vikings cornerback group that could be vastly improved with a high end talent that immediately drops in as a CB1 or CB2. The newly turned 21-year-old playmaker nabbed 7 interceptions in his last 23 games as a Hawkeye.

Can’t lie… I absolutely love this idea of the #Vikings snagging Cooper DeJean at No. 23. pic.twitter.com/A2K1dBnjRK

— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) March 19, 2024

He posted 41 tackles over the first ten games of Iowa’s 2023 season, before suffering a leg injury that ended his college career; an injury in which he is still recovering from.

Along with the additions in free agency up front of Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, Dejean would be great final addition to strong defensive offseason. DeJean was also one of the best returners in college football, returning 21 punts for 241 yards and one score last year.

Related: Tyreek Hill Weighs in on Cooper DeJean Invalid Fair Catch vs Minnesota

The Vikings have a lot of questions to answer in an offseason that is the most important so far in General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensahs tenure in Minnesota. While a trade up is still possible and seems to be the most likely scenario, being able to find their future QB and adding to the defense while also retaining any future draft capital would be a big win for this Vikings front office

Tyreek Hill weighs in on Cooper DeJean invalid fair catch

Related: PJ Fleck Very Passionate About How Noncontroversial an Invalid Fair Catch Ruling is

Especially Hawkeye fans, whose delusion has reached levels of such insanity that they literally refuse to accept or understand the difference between an invalid and valid fair catch. But one of football’s most electric talents has weighed in on the topic and, surprise, he confirmed the obvious.

Cooper DeJean called “PETER” and waved off the 4th quarter noncontroversial punt last weekend and, by rule, the ball was immediately dead when he touched it.

Once the punt returner says “PETER” the ball is dead . All return specialist know this 🫣 https://t.co/8sZCavRydP

— Ty Hill (@cheetah) October 27, 2023

Time to move on…

You’d think Hill’s words of wisdom on this topic would convince Invalid Punt Return deniers of what most of us already know. Referees in the Iowa vs Minnesota game made the correct call on Saturday, for once.

PJ Fleck’s Gophers, whether the Iowa fanbase can do the same or not, must turn the page on what happened last weekend and focus on a contest this weekend vs the Michigan State Spartans that is of equal importance.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

COOPER DEJEAN! IOWA HAS GONE MAX IOWA AND GETS A PUNT RETURN TD TO LEAD 16-12!!! pic.twitter.com/35yge5ww7h

— Stretch Facts (@Stretchfacts) October 22, 2023

On the contrary, everyone watching was left shocked when the return was called back, not because DeJean stepped out of bounds, which is what we all thought was the reason for the elongated replay session between officials. Instead, it was ruled at he signaled for a fair catch, thus ruling the ball dead as soon as he touched it.

Refs rule this was a fair-catch call, which negates Iowa’s go-ahead punt return touchdown with 90 seconds left in the game. pic.twitter.com/0wER8ryyYN

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) October 21, 2023

After a Gopher interception ended the game at 12-10 a few plays later, and Minnesota took Floyd of Rosedale from Kinnick for the first time since 1999, the postgame conversation turned to DeJean’s nullified punt return.

Related: Fleck Finally Beats Ferentz the Hawkeye Way – 3 Takeaways from Minnesota vs Iowa

Cooper DeJean invalid fair catch?

After review, there’s really no doubt DeJean waved his left arm and pointed at the football, prior to catching it. The pointing didn’t signal anything to referees.

The waving, however, signaled an “invalid fair catch”, which means the ball is dead when he touched it. The head official gave his explanation to a pool reporter, following the final whistle. The rule, itself, is pretty clear as well.

“If you look at the video you’ll see that. That waving motion of the left hand constitutes an invalid fair catch signal. So when the receiving team recovers the ball, by rule it becomes dead.”

“That is a reviewable element of the game. We let the play run out and then when we went to review, review shows with indisputable evidence that there is a waving motion with the left hand. And that is when these rules are applied.”

Big Ten Referee – Tim O’Dey (via Pioneer Press)

So, while shocking and obviously disappointing for Iowa fans, coaches and players… the ruling was correct and, after explanation, pretty easy to understand.

Kirk Ferentz cries foul on called back punt return

But don’t tell that to Iowa head coach, Kirk Ferentz, who couldn’t talk about anything after the game without going back to the referees and that final ruling that DeJean called for an invalid fair catch. It was like someone had been lying to him about the sky being blue his entire life, even inviting the NCAA to fine him for bad-mouthing officials.

Might have all-time press conference coming from Kirk Ferentz.

Here’s how it started…

If the Big Ten fines him for whatever he’s about to say, I’ll start a fundraising effort to match every dollar and send it to the Univ of Iowa Children’s Hospital, too. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/RJoy61iWir

— Cody Hills (@ByCodyHills) October 22, 2023

“Most people, when they run, their arms do wave,” Ferentz said. “So if you looked at the video, it looked like he was naturally running to the football and then just made a great play. One of the best ones I’ve ever seen.” Ferentz mentioned multiple times that the coaching staff goes over fair catch procedure “with the officials each and every time” before the game.

“Above the head, wave,” Ferentz said. “And we also cover point to the ground for an errant kick, which there were several of those today.” He maybe “slept through the meeting” where the conference explained where the replay decisions get made. The Big Ten has a replay review center in Pittsburgh to assist with the process.

“I’m still not sure who makes the final decision,” Ferentz said. “I know we go to Pittsburgh for analysis. And my theory there is the more people get involved, probably the more screwed up things are.”

John Steppe – Iowa Gazette

Kirk Ferentz is one of two things…

There may not be a better taste than Iowa Hawkeye tears, after a loss the the Minnesota Gophers that puts their hopes and dreams of another Big Ten West title in danger.

Related: 2023-24 Minnesota Gophers Football Schedule

It’s ok to be upset but all Ferentz’ postgame press conference did was prove he is either (a) blind or (b) a sore loser. He’s 68 years old so I’m not ruling out either possibility.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan