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Another left tackle option who may be around on Day 2. Left tackle Yodny Cajuste had a consistent final two seasons on a talented West Virginia team after knee injuries wrecked his freshman and sophomore years. Only allowed one sack in those seasons while generally keeping his quarterbacks upright, though he was penalty-prone with 16 combined penalties over those two years. He is the same size as Dalton Risner but may not move as well, and a quad injury kept him from doing much in the pre-draft process. His recovery from that surgery may keep him out through OTAs and mini-camp.

Size

6-5, 312 pounds

Combine notables

Bench: 32 reps (4^th at position)

What the analysts say

“Well-built with physical ability to stay in front of NFL pass rushers if he continues to refine his pass sets and improve his hand usage. Cajuste has the traits and talent but doesn’t play as “bendy” in his lower body as expected, which causes inconsistencies with balance in both the run and pass game. He might end up being more of a positional and stalemate blocker than drive blocker in the run game so he will need to shine in pass pro, which will take work.” – Lance Zierlein, NFL.com

“While there are some technical improvements needed, Cajuste has the makings of a standout blindside offensive tackle in the NFL. His power, mobility and length are all plus traits that serve as a strong foundation for him to develop. While his skill set is optimized in a gap/power run scheme,  he isn’t limited to that role exclusively. By year three, Cajuste should be a reliable starter gearing up for a lucrative second contract.” – Joe Marino, The Draft Network

What PFF says

-17^th in pass-blocking efficiency
-29^th in snaps per outside pressure allowed
-77^th in run-block success
-1 sack allowed last three seasons

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CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE
ZONE COVERAGE DRAFT GUIDE

TOP 40 PLAYERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NEEDS & TARGETS
POSITIONAL TOP 5 RANKINGS & VIDEO BREAKDOWNS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS DRAFT TRENDS
INMAN: NFC NORTH WORST CASE DRAFT SCENARIOS
SENIOR BOWL CENTRAL (PODCASTS, VIDEOS, ARTICLES)
INMAN’S MOCK DRAFT COLLECTION

Sam Ekstrom

Sam Ekstrom is an executive producer and host at Locked On Sports Minnesota. He's previously covered the Vikings for 105 The Ticket, Zone Coverage, Purple Insider, and the Associated Press. He grew up in Vermillion, S.D. rooting for the USD Coyotes (not SDSU) and graduated from Dordt (not "dork") University in Sioux Center, Iowa.

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