Look for Vikings to focus on defense on Day 3 of NFL draft

Rick Spielman held to the Vikings' priority of improving the run game during Friday's second and third rounds of the NFL draft.

Now is it Mike Zimmer's turn on Saturday to draft more depth for his defense?

The Vikings likely will be looking for defense over the final four rounds. They shuffled late-round picks after dealing away two selections in trades Friday night to move up for running back Dalvin Cook (41st overall) and center Pat Elflein (70th overall). Spielman later added a handful of late-round picks by trading back with the Chiefs and 49ers in the third round.

The Vikings hold seven picks Saturday: three fourths (109th, 120th, 132nd), a sixth (199th) and three sevenths (219th, 232nd, 245th).

Those picks could bolster the Vikings' third-ranked defense from last season. After all, the team didn't pick a single defender during the draft's first three rounds for the first time since hiring Zimmer before the 2014 season.

"[Zimmer] was fine, because he wants to score points, too," Spielman said Friday night. "He's been taken care of pretty good in our first couple drafts, so we wanted to make sure we started addressing the offensive side of the ball."

Solidifying the offensive front with Cook and Elflein leaves a few needs on special teams and defense. Expect the Vikings to go after a player with kick returning experience since All-Pro Cordarrelle Patterson will need to be replaced. A few returner options still available include Iowa defensive back Desmond King, North Carolina receiver Ryan Switzer and Oklahoma receiver Dede Westbrook.

The Vikings might pick from a deep safety pool with a few intriguing prospects still available in Auburn's Rudy Ford, King and Alabama's Eddie Jackson. Andrew Sendejo has been a solid starter alongside Harrison Smith, but Zimmer might be seeking new depth after getting looks at a couple youngsters in Anthony Harris and Jayron Kearse last season.

Defensive tackle is another position of need, but the draft class was thin before top prospects Jonathan Allen and Malik McDowell were taken. Florida's Caleb Brantley is being investigated for allegedly knocking out a woman earlier this month, and if the Vikings weren't willing to take a chance on Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, it's a safe bet they won't on Brantley.

Iowa defensive tackle Jaleel Johnson, who had 7½ sacks last season, is one interior name to watch in the draft's later rounds. The Vikings need to bolster their interior pass rush as Sharrif Floyd attempts a comeback from nerve damage and Tom Johnson is coming off a torn hamstring suffered last December.

Staying on the defensive side, the Vikings have just five linebackers under contract and most likely will add one or two to the mix Saturday — if not more during the first wave of college free agency Sunday.

Keep an eye on Kansas State outside linebacker Elijah Lee, who visited the Vikings on a top-30 visit this month. The Vikings have drafted at least one late-round linebacker, between Brandon Watts, Edmond Robinson and Kentrell Brothers, in each of Zimmer's three seasons as coach.