Vikings mock draft roundup: Final mocks are out

Rejoice! The NFL draft is finally upon us.

The first round starts tonight, so it won't be long until all those mock drafts become outdated and irrelevant. But while the latest ones are freshly-published and somewhat relevant, let's take one final look at the players the most notable of draft analysts are linking to the Vikings at pick No. 11.

Michigan State cornerback Trae Waynes continues to be the popular pick, though Mike Mayock of the NFL Network has the Vikings selecting Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker — perhaps only because Waynes went in the top 10 in his mock. There are a couple of other dissenters, too.

Here's a look at which players a dozen draft analysts and NFL insiders think the Vikings will take:

Mel Kiper, ESPN: Waynes. "The top three wide receivers are off the board, and they get immediate help at cornerback while pushing Captain Munnerlyn to a better position in the slot," he wrote.

Peter King, Sports Illustrated: Waynes. "Might be too light at 186 to be the kind of physical corner many teams would want, but the only highlight I saw of Waynes in run defense put the kibosh on that: In the 2013 Big Ten championship game, he made a physical stop of Ohio State's Carlos Hyde (40 pounds heavier) for no gain," King wrote. "Mike Zimmer needs two good physical cover corners, and adding Waynes to Xavier Rhodes would give the Vikes two first-round young players at that position."

Mike Mayock, NFL Network: Parker. "Parker was Bridgewater's teammate from Louisville," he wrote. "Parker can high-point the football, and was highly productive when on the field."

Charles Davis, NFL Network: Kevin White, WR, West Virginia. "My top-ranked WR comes off the board here, and immediately helps second-year QB Teddy Bridgewater," he wrote. "Louisville WR DeVante Parker will be a consideration, as will Michigan State CB Trae Waynes."

Matt Miller, Bleacher Report: Marcus Peters, CB, Washington. "Waynes is a good player, but he's not the NFL-ready talent Marcus Peters is," Miller wrote. "Yes, Peters has some off-field baggage after being dismissed from Washington, but he's the type of prospect head coach Mike Zimmer can turn into an All-Pro talent. Peters needs hard coaching and a leader he trusts, and Zimmer has both the experience and leadership to be that person."

Todd McShay, ESPN: Waynes. "This is another pick I've made a few different times during the draft process, but it continues to make sense," he wrote. "The Vikings need a press-man corner opposite Xavier Rhodes, and Waynes is the best cornerback prospect in this class who figures to fit best in press-man or Cover 2 alignments."

Josh Norris, Rotoworld: Waynes. "Everything points to the Vikings selecting a cornerback. So will it happen? I could see one of three names: Waynes, Byron Jones and Kevin Johnson," Norris wrote. "Waynes is a press corner (or man in his zone) who uses length and frame to stick with receivers and combat the catch point."

Peter Schrager, Fox Sports: Waynes. "Waynes could go earlier, depending on team needs in the top 10. He is a 6-foot, 186-pound corner who starred in a man-to-man defense at Michigan State," he wrote. "Don't forget, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is a defensive backs coach at heart. Xavier Rhodes showed flashes last year; here's his battery mate."

Jamie Newberg, Scout.com: Waynes. "I am so tempted to change my Minnesota mock pick to wide receiver Devante Parker but I have gone with Trae Waynes from practically the beginning," he said. "I still have strong feeling that the draft's top corner will be picked inside the top 10."