2013 NFL mock draft: Vikings select Sam Montgomery

With the 52nd pick in Pride Of Detroit's 2013 NFL mock draft, the Minnesota Vikings select LSU defensive end Sam Montgomery. DLions4Eva is serving as the Vikings' general manager, and his reasoning for the pick is below.

My choice for the Vikings' second-round pick actually came to be a big surprise. I was expecting to grab a corner or maybe a linebacker here, as I figured that defensive end wasn't a huge need, but I took the best player available and a guy I thought would surely be gone before the Vikings picked. Surprisingly, he was still there.

Sam Montgomery is large defensive end with a non-stop motor and a knack for playing the run. He has the potential to be a three-down player in the NFL and flashes quickness off the edge. He hustles to the quarterback or ball carrier and has also played inside on passing downs.

He does have a tendency to come off the snap too late, but coaching and practice can help that. He also can be beat at times by the tackle's first move because of his lack of a secondary move, but again, coaching solves this. He has some minor issues with technique and such, but it's correctable.

Physically, he's what you are looking for in a defensive end. At 6'3" and weighing about 265 lbs., he is a perfect 4-3 end and has the ability to also play inside. I was very surprised to see Montgomery last this long, and like I said, the Vikings really don't need a defensive end, but injuries happen in the NFL and Jared Allen isn't getting any younger. Sometimes you just have to take the best player despite need because of the value of the pick, so this decision wasn't hard to make. He is a really good player with huge potential.

Despite having Jared Allen, Brian Robison and Everson Griffen on the roster, adding Sam Montgomery would put this unit into the top 10 or higher despite how the season goes. He could also make for one dangerous rotation there in Minnesota this year, so it would be exciting to see him in a Vikings jersey.

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Check out the 2013 Pride Of Detroit Community Mock Draft tracker for a look at all of the picks.