Another Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft

The 2025 NFL Draft is 17 days away. There’s always time for another Minnesota Vikings mock draft. This one kicks off with a trade. See as they currently hold only four picks, it feels like a an early trade to add more picks is likely. 

Another Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft

The trade:

Vikings send #24 to the Indianapolis Colts for R2:45, R3:80, R4:117, R5:151

I’m not sure if the Vikings can get two Day 2 picks and 2 Day 3 picks for one Day 1 pick in the real draft. They did in this mock draft. Dropping back 21 spots from #24 should cost a team a few picks. 

The picks:

R2:45   Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

R3:80   Jonah Savaiinaea, G, Arizona

R3:97   RJ Harvey, RB, Central Florida

R4:117 JJ Pegues, DT, Mississippi

R5:139 Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame

R5:151 Billy Bowman Jr., S, Oklahoma

R6:187 Jonah Monheim, C, USC

If the Vikings can use their first-round pick to bring in seven players, a trade feels like the right route. I’d take this draft. Shavon Revel Jr. and Jonah Savaiinaea should compete for starting jobs as rookies. My one issue might be the selection of RJ Harvey in the third round. After the trade for Jordan Mason, running back became more of a late round need. Harvey was just too good to pass at #97. I was still able to grab JJ Pegues at #117. In recent days, Pegues has emerged as a draft favorite. He was my target at #97 when I opted for Harvey. Mitchell Evans, Billy Bowman Jr, and Jonah Monheim addressed particular, longer term needs. 

Until the next one. 

Minnesota Vikings Quarterbacks

As a young Minnesota Vikings fan in the early 1970s, I was treated to the quarterbacking of Fran Tarkenton. He, along with Alan Page and Chuck Foreman, was a big reason this California kid fell for a football team from Minnesota. Tarkenton led the Vikings to three Super Bowls. He won an MVP award in 1975 and broke all of Johnny Unitas’ career passing records. Tarkenton was one of the league’s best quarterbacks. This naive kid thought that he’d forever be leading the Vikings. I also thought that Page, Foreman, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, Mick Tingelhoff, Paul Krause, Bobby Bryant, Ron Yary, and the rest of those greats would play forever. Instead, they were pretty much all gone before the team entered the 1980s. Fran Tarkenton was a great quarterback. The Vikings have been searching for their next great quarterback ever since he retired after the 1978 season. It’s been a very long search.

In that search for their next great quarterback, the Vikings have selected only four quarterbacks in the first round of the NFL Draft.

1977 Tommy Kramer

1999 Daunte Culpepper

2011 Christian Ponder

2015 Teddy Bridgewater

2024 J.J. McCarthy

Tommy Kramer was selected in the first round of the 1977 NFL Draft to take over for Tarkenton. When Kramer was on the field, he looked the part of a franchise quarterback. As a true gunslinger, he was a lot of fun. For some of the Vikings fans slightly younger than me, he was their quarterback. The sad part of Kramer’s career was the injuries that kept taking him off the field. Over his 13 years in Minnesota, he played every game in a season twice. That was 1979 and the strike-shortened 1982 season. He hit 15 games twice, 14 games once, and 13 games once. The remaining seven seasons saw him play nine games or fewer. There was a start and stop aspect to his career. Every time it felt like he and the team were starting to roll, an injury derailed things. When he was on those rolls, he looked like the quarterback he was drafted to be. Instead, the injuries left those that witnessed those days wondering what might’ve been. When it comes to the quarterback position, the Vikings have a lot of that. Daunte Culpepper was selected in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft to take over the high-octane 1998 offense. Culpepper tossing the ball to Randy Moss and for a couple years to Cris Carter was a dreamy thing. Culpepper had a few strong seasons culminating in an MVP-worthy 2004 season. Unfortunately, that 2004 season would be his last complete season with the Vikings. A knee injury in 2005 ended his Minnesota days. His is another case of wondering what might’ve been. In 2011, the team’s decision-makers were so desperate for a rookie quarterback that they forced Christian Ponder into the first round. He never should’ve been selected there. He probably shouldn’t have been selected on Day 2 either. In his four years with the Vikings, I can think of one game in which he made multiple passes of first-round quality. That was the final game of the 2012 season against the Green Bay Packers. That’s the game better remembered for Adrian Peterson falling nine yards short of the season rushing record. Ponder picked a fine time to throw something like a first-rounder. It was the Packers and the win got the Vikings in the playoffs. Teddy Bridgewater’s Vikings days felt a lot like Daunte Culpepper all over again. I had sky high hopes for Bridgewater. I was thrilled when the Vikings traded into the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to select him with the 32nd pick. He was going to he the franchise quarterback that ended the decades-long search. Instead, a brutal training camp knee injury in 2016 ended his Vikings career. So, injuries wrecked or ended the careers of three of those four first-round quarterbacks. The fourth never should’ve been selected in the first round. It’s been a long and frustrating stretch of years. The inability to find a young, franchise quarterback or keep him on the field forced the Vikings to often fill that role with older veterans. From Jim McMahon to Warren Moon to Randall Cunningham to Gus Frerotte to Brad Johnson to Brett Favre. Some of those old guys produced some brilliant seasons. Moon was a lot of fun for a couple years. Cunningham was fantastic in 1998. That was a team that should’ve brought a Lombardi to Minnesota. Favre was excellent in 2009. That was a team that should’ve added another Lombardi. Instead, end of game gaffes left the Vikings trophy cabinet barren. 

All of that changes with J.J. McCarthy. The long quarterback search is over. That’s the hope. The are many reasons for the high hopes. Tops of those reasons is the talent and character of McCarthy. He won titles in high school. He won a title at Michigan. He’s simply won everywhere he’s been. Then there’s the quarterback environment in Minnesota. Kevin O’Connell is perhaps the perfect head coach for a young quarterback. For any quarterback. He’s a former NFL quarterback. He’s a terrific player caller. He’s created a wonderful team environment. In Josh McCown, McCarthy has another former NFL quarterback as his position coach. New to the team, assistant quarterbacks coach Jordan Traylor is an unknown. He replaces Grant Udinski. When Udinski left Minnesota to become the offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars it was a clear loss. He and McCarthy had reportedly grown close. If O’Connell likes Traylor as a quarterbacks coach, I like Traylor as a quarterbacks coach. In Kevin O’Connell we trust. 

This is J.J. McCarthy’s time. I believe that Minnesota’s long search for a franchise quarterback is over. 

Potential Minnesota Vikings Backup Quarterbacks

JJ McCarthy will be the Minnesota Vikings quarterback. That’s a good thing. Recent years and Vikings history has shown that a competent backup quarterback is necessary. Daniel Jones was supposed to be that quarterback. Unfortunately, Jones chose to compete for a starting job with the Indianapolis Colts rather than a sideline role with the Vikings. So, the quarterback room in Minnesota currently sits like this:

J.J. McCarthy

Brett Rypien

All of the NFL throws by the pair have been thrown by Brett Rypien.

The Vikings need an experienced backup. 

While the team’s coaches have shown a remarkable ability to get quarterbacks ready for games, the Vikings need an experienced backup. They have some options. A lot has been made of those options because one of those options was apparently Aaron Rodgers. It’s a laughable option because Rodgers is an unbelievable turd. He’d wreck the team. He’ll wreck any team. I’m hoping his football days are done. Just wander into the unknown, Aaron! I expect any actual Vikings conversation about adding him was cursory, at best. I assume the actual consideration of Aaron Rodgers as the Vikings was short and filled with unrelenting laughs. The puzzling thing about the whole Rodgers-Vikings nonsense was that many in the media really seemed to want it. The nonsense that often drives NFL conversation never ceases to amaze. Anyway, on to reality. 

So, who are real options to backup J.J. McCarthy?

Joe Flacco

Carson Wentz

Ryan Tannehill

If it’s not one of those three, I’d turn to the coaching staff:

Kevin O’Connell

Josh McCown

Charlie Frye

I’d rather have offensive line coach Chris Kuper chucking passes than the shithead Rodgers. 

So, it comes to this. Unless the Vikings trade for a backup quarterback, the options appear to be Flacco, Wentz, or Tannehill. My hope is Wentz. My guess says Flacco. Actually, my hope is that the Vikings QB2 never sees a meaningful snap. My hope is that J.J. McCarthy brilliantly kicks off his Hall of Fame career. 

2025 NFL First-Draft’s Round Prospects

Evaluating football talent is a very subjective thing. It’s said that the average draft class has roughly 15 players who are deemed “first round talents.” There once was a time when LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell was considered a slam dunk first round talent. There once was a time when Michigan quarterback Tom Brady was not. It’s a very subjective thing. Of the players in the 2025 NFL Draft, ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller has given first-round grades to only 13 players. It’s the lowest number of true first-round grades he’s ever awarded. It’s a very subjective thing. Here are Miller’s lucky 13.

2025 NFL Draft’s First-Round Prospects

1.  Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State

2.  Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

3.  Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

4.  Mason Graham, DT, Michigan 

5.  Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

6.  Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

7.  Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

8.  Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

9.  Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

10. Armand Membou, OT, Missouri

11. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

12. Will Campbell, OL, LSU

13. Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

That’s it. 13 first-round grades. It’s a very subjective thing. One thing about the NFL Draft that isn’t subjective is that 32 players will be selected in the first round. Another thing that isn’t subjective is that none of it matters. All that matters is the opportunity. First round to seventh round, or undrafted, it’s what these players do with the opportunity in front of them. Any of the above can be the next Leo Hayden. Any of the hundreds of players without a first-round grade can be the next John Randle. 

Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft Tracker

The 2025 NFL Draft is three weeks away. The Minnesota Vikings are currently scheduled to have the 24th pick in the first round. Here’s a look at what some of the pundits see the Minnesota Vikings doing with that pick.

The Athletic

Dane Brugler

24. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas

Bruce Feldman

24. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Alec Lewis

31. Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo

(Trade w/Kansas City Chiefs

Staff

32. Kelvin Banks Jr., OT/G, Texas

(Trade w/Philadelphia Eagles)

NFL.com

Daniel Jeremiah

24. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Bucky Brooks

24. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

Charles Davis

24. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Lance Zierlein

Minnesota Vikings trade the 24th pick to the Cleveland Browns. No first round pick for the Vikings.

Eric Edholm

32. Maxwell Hairston, CB, Kentucky

(Trade w/Philadelphia Eagles)

Chad Reuter

30. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

(Trade w/Buffalo Bills)

97. Denzel Burke, CB, Ohio State

109. Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame

132. Joshua Gray, G, Oregon State

Mike Band

31. Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

(Trade w/Kansas City Chiefs)

Cynthia Frelund

24. Benjamin Morrison, CB, Notre Dame

ESPN

Mel Kiper Jr.

24. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Field Yates

24. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Jordan Reid

24. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

Mike Tannenbaum

24. Jahdae Barron, CB, Texas

The ESPN draft guys have a consensus! That doesn’t happen often.

CBS

Ryan Wilson

24. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Chris Trapasso

30. Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

(Trade w/Buffalo Bills)

Mike Renner

24. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Josh Edwards

24. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Kyle Stackpole

30. Grey Zabel, G/C, North Dakota State

Garrett Podell

24. Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

Pete Prisco

24. Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina

***

At the beginning of the mock draft season, many of the above pundits had the Vikings selecting a defensive tackle. After the free agency signings of Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, the projections have flipped to the defensive backfield. As for my thoughts on the 24th pick, I still believe that a trade back is the most likely use of that pick. With the work done in free agency, the Vikings have set themselves up for a best player available approach. Every team says that’s the goal but it’s still best player available with an eye on need. I see the hierarchy of Vikings needs looking something like this:

1. Interior Offensive Line

2. Defensive Line

3. Cornerback

4. Safety

5. Tight End

6. General Depth

With those needs in mind, I’m leaning Grey Zabel or Donovan Jackson with their first selection. 

New Football Rules

NFL owners gathered this week in Palm Beach, Florida to conduct their annual football business. Some of that football business was voting on proposed rule changes. Here are the new rules starting, of course, with the kickoff. 

Kickoffs

Debuted in 2024, the “dynamic” kickoff is here to stay. Calling this kickoff “dynamic” has always been curious. It’s definitely different but dynamic is a stretch. Perhaps moving the ball spot on touchbacks from the 30-yard line to the 35-yard line will do the trick. That’s the new rule. Touchbacks will now be spotted on the 35-yard line. The league hopes that this move will boost the number of kickoff returns. Last season, about a third of the kickoffs were returned. The hope is that about three-quarters of kickoffs will be returned with a touchback brought to the 35-yard line. 

Thoughts: 

The “dynamic” kickoff, despite being far from dynamic, did grow on me last season. If this change boosts kickoff return rates, it’s a good thing. 

Overtime

The league passed a proposal by the Philadelphia Eagles to align the postseason and regular season overtime rules. Both teams will now have an opportunity to possess the ball regardless the outcome of the first possession. However, unlike in the postseason, regular season overtime will remain 10 minutes rather than 15 minutes. 

Thoughts:

This is good and bad. The league should’ve made the regular season overtime 15 minutes as well. The league has a peculiar need to hold firm on a little thing as a sign of their overall concern for player safety. The league’s decision-makers have no concern for player safety. They show that repeatedly. In a sad attempt to show that they do, the league holds back five minutes of overtime. 

Expand Replay Assist

The league passed a proposal by the Competition Committee to expand instant replay’s ability to advise the on-field officials on specific, objective aspects of a play and/or to address game administration issues when clear and obvious video evidence is present. It does not correct missed penalties. 

Thoughts:

This rule change falls far short in that it does not address clear and obvious missed penalties. A clear and obvious uncalled facemask of a quarterback can not be corrected by this expanded replay assist. A miss is a miss no matter how it’s missed. This rule only addresses half the misses. That’s a miss. 

Allowing More Direct Tampering 

The league passed a proposal by the Pittsburgh Steelers regarding contact with free agents during the “legal tampering” window. Clubs can now have one video or phone call with no more than five prospective unrestricted free agents. Clubs can also book travel upon agreeing to terms. 

Thoughts:

What’s the point? 

Injured Reserve

The league approved bylaw proposals to permit clubs to designate two players for return at the roster reduction to 53 players. Also permits clubs participating in the postseason to receive additional “designated for return” increasing the maximum from eight to 10. 

Thoughts:

Sounds good.

K-Balls

The league approved resolution proposals to permit clubs to prepare kicking footballs (K-Balls) before gameday.

Thoughts:

If the game footballs can be prepared before the games, the kicking footballs should get the same. 

First Down Measurements

The league will be shifting from the chain gang to cameras for the measurement of first downs. The chain gang will remain as backup. 

Thoughts:

It’s about time.

Tush Push

The proposal by the Green Bay Packers to ban the “tush push” was tabled. The vote was split 16 to 16. It had to hit 24-8. 

Thoughts:

In my opinion, this stupid play was banned in the early 1900s. It was never reinserted over the past 100+ years so it should still be banned. The offense gets so much assistance from the NFL rule book. An offensive player doesn’t need any added physical assistance from their teammates. 

Tush Push

When the Philadelphia Eagles lined up for their first “tush push” it was considered an innovative thing. It was built up as something new. It wasn’t. The formation and play is actually one of football’s oldest plays. Football stepped away from rugby in the 1880s when Walter Camp created the concepts of “downs” and “yards to gain.” Coaches and players began to script plays with a mass of humanity focused on the middle of this new line of scrimmage. These wedge formations became the rage of the game. Here’s a description of the formation and ensuing play:

The players arranged themselves in a wedge with only the center on the line of scrimmage. Each man placed his hands on the hips of the man in front. When the ball was snapped, the players closed in tight and shoved. The ball carrier was protected on all sides.

Sound familiar? This play became the game. It was a whole lot of pushing and shoving. A moving mass of humanity. It also turned the game of football into a bloodbath. It’s amazing that it rolled on like this for nearly two decades. Bones were shattered. Backs were broken. Heads were crushed. The number of critics of the game grew with each year. In the early 1900s, newspapers started publishing the body counts. High school and college players were dying. It got so bad that President Theodore Roosevelt demanded that football’s collegiate leaders make changes or the game will be banned. Instead of losing their game, Camp and company made some changes. One of those changes was banning the “mass momentum” plays. 

The “tush push” was banned in the 1900s. Seeing as the NFL installed college football’s rule book as their rule book with their formation in 1920, the “tush push” was banned by the new professional league. To my knowledge, the play wasn’t “legalized” when the NFL started crafting their own rule book following the 1932 season. No one seems to care about that little nugget. No one seems to care that the “tush push” is already a banned play. Then again, most of today’s football people can’t see anything that took place before Super Bowl I. 

My biggest problem with this damn play is the history behind that everyone’s ignoring. Over 100 years ago, it was hotly debated. It was more hotly debated than it is today. That’s because football’s survival was in the balance. The play is dangerous. One can say that all football plays are dangerous. It’s the nature of the game. We might not ever see Jalen Hurts hurt on the play. Good for him. Good for the Eagles. We might see a quarterback that can’t squat a house try the play behind an offensive line that isn’t one of the best in recent memory. We might see that little quarterback get his bones shattered, his head crushed, his back broken. Is that a reason to punish the Eagles for being perfectly situated to run the play? Yes! It’s a dangerous play. The play is designed to be dangerous. 

And, it’s been banned before! The damn play is probably still banned.