Vikings Listed as Top Fit for a Massive Defender

ESPN’s Jordan Reid is one of the foremost authorities on the NFL draft, so his opinion carries a lot of weight. Recently, Reid specifically connected the Vikings to a massive player.

The simple post on social media begins with a header: “Five of my favorite player/team scheme fits.” Go down the list a bit of Reid places Kenneth Grant, a hulking defensive tackle, alongside the Vikings. Any chance Reid’s words prove prophetic?

The Vikings & The Massive Defensive Tackle

No question, the Vikings need some assistance for the defensive line. In particular, there’s a great need for a penetrating 3-technique, a player capable of collapsing the pocket on passing downs.

As a result, Grant is a bit of a surprising name. Kick things over to PFF’s draft board and Grant’s name is found at 23rd overall (the Vikings own the 24th selection). The first detail to jump out is Grant’s size since he’s listed at 6’3″ and 339 pounds. For reference, Harrison Phillips is said to be coming in at 6’3″, 307, so we’re talking about quite a difference.

For whatever it’s worth, PFF gave Grant a rock-solid 83.7 grade for his efforts last season. More interestingly, PFF also clarifies that Grant played more as a 3-technique than as a 1-technique, lining up in the B-gap area for 368 snaps versus just 170 in the A-gap area.

Consider, as well, the scouting report from the NFL website: “Grant is a broad-bodied, two-down nose tackle whose tape can run hot and cold depending on the game and the types of blocks he’s facing. He struggles to anchor when hit with down blocks due to his narrow base and tall pads, but he uses his power and length to beat single blocks and split double teams when he finds the crease. He had some sack production in college, but it might not translate to the league. He’s expected to be a monster tester but needs to prove he can become a more consistently dominant force to be more than an average starter.”

Both reasons for intrigue and concern within the brief scouting blurb. The key for the Vikings will rest in determining whether they can eliminate (minimize?) the shortcomings in his game while allowing the strengths to shine.

Last season, Grant was involved in a dozen games for the Wolverines. He picked up 32 tackles, 3 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 5 passes defended. The year prior — the one where J.J. McCarthy led the Wolverines to a National Championship — involved Grant playing in fifteen games. The defensive tackle had 29 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, and 5 passes defended.

Kenneth Grant’s background with a major college program will be seen as a positive and so, too, will the fact that he’s still only 21. He’s someone to keep in mind as the draft inches closer.

The 2025 NFL Draft will occur from April 24-26 and take place in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Editor’s Note: Information from Sports Reference CFB helped with this piece.

K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on social media (Bluesky & Twitter). If you feel so inclined, subscribe to his Substack, The Vikings Gazette, for more great Vikings content.