5 of 8

Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings are likely losing one of Jared Allen or Everson Griffen and could lose both. Should it look more and more likely that the Vikings will lose the services of both defensive ends while also missing in free agency, they'll want to pursue a defensive end earlier in the draft.

But as it stands, there's a good chance they'll have two starting-level DEs without any backups on the roster. Trevor Reilly could fill that hole with the potential to be one of the most interesting defensive chess pieces in the country if he develops the right way.

Used as an outside linebacker, defensive end and even middle linebacker for the Utah Utes, Reilly wasn't just versatile, he was crucial. Extremely athletic, Reilly exhibits speed and agility, as well as impressive body control.

His acceleration of the snap blends well with his other skills, and he's shown the ability to get under or around edge protectors to get to the quarterback or running back without losing speed or leverage. A savvy defender, Reilly also shows the ability to read and react to offensive linemen and gain a step.

He's smart with his pass-rushing moves and shows active hands at the point of attack. With that, he demonstrates an ability to keep blockers off his frame with his length and consistently shows he can shed blockers to make the play.

Combine that with a player who shows excellent tangibles—maturity, leadership, charisma and the toughness to play through an ACL tear—and it seems like he's the perfect package.

While a consistently productive player at every position he's played (having originally moved from safety to play DE), he's likely better primarily as a pass-rusher, as Reilly has been average at best in pass coverage without as much backward agility as one would want in a coverage player. Further, while he shows familiarity playing well in zone schemes, he may not be suited for teams that will mix coverages.

The biggest issue with keeping him as a primarily pass-rushing player, however, is that he plays much better with space and time to react to the play ahead of him, often choosing to slow-play his man in order to gain an advantage. With that, he doesn't have the strength of many 4-3 ends, though he has the frame to add much more weight (though there is a limit—he's already added 30 pounds since joining the team) and therefore strength.

He's not consistent with his leverage in limited space, though that hasn't stopped him at the college level yet. He is a little lackluster against the run, but can create room for himself to be effective if not asked to set the edge on every down.

The biggest issue with Reilly has much more to do with his age than anything else. He would enter training camp at the age of 26, and he doesn't have a lot of time to develop into a top-tier player at whichever position he'll end up at.

Despite all that, he would be an excellent add for the Vikings, and his hard-nosed attitude would blend in perfectly with the culture that Minnesota is building.