Vikings draft preview: Is now the time to use top pick on a receiver?

In the days leading up to the 2016 NFL draft, which runs April 28-30, we will break down where the Vikings stand at each position group on the roster. The Vikings have the 23rd overall pick. Today, we continue the series with a look at the wide receivers and tight ends.

Randy Moss had it, but he's come and gone. Twice. Sidney Rice showed glimpses of it, but that was seven years ago with a quarterback who's now in the Hall of Fame.

So, yeah, it's been a while since the Vikings have had a traditional No. 1 receiver. You remember what they look like, right? They're big and tall with really long arms and really soft hands. They're unusually fast for their size and weight. They create mismatches with a combination of size, speed and the ability to leap, adjust, fight for and come down with deep passes, even the ones thrown a little off-target.

The best place to get the best of these types of players is in the first round. The Vikings tried that with Cordarrelle Patterson, but it hasn't worked out. It still might, but one shouldn't trust that it ever will. At least not one who is attempt to build a winning offense around a soon-to-be-31-year-old running back.

The Vikings rightfully unloaded Mike Wallace when his salary didn't come close to matching his production or potential as a No. 1 receiver. Stefon Diggs turned a fifth-round selection into one of the best pleasant surprises in the NFL as a rookie last season. But he's not a physical mismatch on the outside. Neither is Jarius Wright, one of the most underrated receivers in the league. Charles Johnson has size, speed and skill, but he isn't a prototypical No. 1 either.

At No. 23, the Vikings could be in position to grab one of the top receivers, if not the top one. Most agree that the best available receiver is Laquon Treadwell of Ole Miss. He's 6-2, 221 with speed, strength, a willingness to block and the ability to dominate DBs when the ball is in the air. And now that some of the issues on the offensive line have been addressed, this is exactly what quarterback Teddy Bridgewater needs to take the next step and be more consistent with the deep ball.

No one seems to agree whether Treadwell will still be on the board when the Vikings pick. The Vikings brought him to Winter Park for a visit and are prepared to take him. They also brought in TCU's Josh Doctson, who has similar skills but isn't as big.

At tight end, the Vikings are set and probably won't be in the market for one even in the later rounds. Kyle Rudolph finally was healthy and able to make some plays, although he still disappears too easily in the passing game.

MyCole Pruitt was another pleasant surprise in the fifth round. He contributed right away out of Southern Illinois, so his future should be very bright. Rhett Ellison is coming off a major knee injury, but the Vikings have added to their depth by signing free agent Brian Leonhardt.

Projected starters: Stefon Diggs at X receiver (split end), Jarius Wright at Z receiver (flanker), Kyle Rudolph at tight end.

Don't forget about: Charles Johnson. After leapfrogging Cordarrelle Patterson at the X position in 2014, Johnson was leapfrogged himself by the rookie phenom Diggs in '15. If Johnson is a fighter — and he probably is considering the humble start to his NFL career — we might not have seen the last of his playmaking ability.

Level of need: At tight end, non-existent. At receiver, astronomical. After addressing the offensive line via coaching and free agency, all signs point toward the Vikings using the first round to add a receiver with prototypical No. 1-type size and skill.

Five prospects to remember: Laquon Treadwell, WR, Ole Miss; Josh Doctson, WR, TCU; Rashard Higgins, WR, Colorado State; K.J. Maye, WR, Minnesota; Hunter Henry, TE, Arkansas.

Our best guess: Mock drafts have only muddied the water on whether there will be a run on the top receivers before the Vikings pick at No. 23 or whether the Vikings will have their pick of the lot. If Treadwell is there, look for the Vikings to take him. If he's not and Doctson is, look for Doctson as a strong possibility. If they're both gone, the Vikings could be looking to trade down or wait until the second round for a receiver.