A Couple Minnesota Vikings Mock Drafts

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh. There will be dozens, hundreds, thousands of Minnesota Vikings mock drafts between now and then. Many of those will be found here. After a five-game win streak to end the 2025 season, the Vikings are slated to pick 18th in the first round. For the entire draft, they currently have eight picks. A third-round Compensatory pick will be added to that total. A fifth- or sixth-rounder might also be added. 

Minnesota Vikings Draft Picks

First round

Second round

Third round

Third round (Compensatory Pick)

Fifth round (from Philadelphia Eagles for Sam Howell)

Sixth round (from Indianapolis Colts for Mekhi Blackmon)

Seventh round

Seventh round (form Houston Texans for Cam Akers)

Seventh round (from Carolina Panthers for Adam Thielen)

Nine picks. A fifth- or sixth-round Compensatory pick could bump it to 10.

At this moment, I see the following positions as the most significant needs of the Vikings.

Cornerback 

Defensive Line

Safety

Running Back depth

Receiver depth

Linebacker depth

Mock drafts between now and April will repeatedly focus on those positions. 

Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft 1

1. Avieon Terrell, CB, Clemson

2. Dillon Thieneman, S Oregon

3. Emmett Johnson, RB, Nebraska

3. Brian Parker, C, Duke

5. Aiden Fisher, LB, Indiana

6. Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

7. Noah Thomas, WR, Georgia

7. Zane Durant, DL, Penn State

7. Luke Altmyer, QB, Illinois

I like the top of this draft. I especially like adding Avieon Terrell and Dillon Thieneman to the Vikings secondary. My issue with this mock draft is not addressing the defensive line until the seventh round. While I really like Emmett Johnson, defensive line might be a better target in the third round.

Minnesota Vikings Mock Draft 2

1. Caleb Banks, DL, Florida

2. D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana

3. Jake Slaughter, C, Florida

3. Ted Hurst, WR, Georgia State

5. Mike Washington Jr., RB, Arkansas

6. Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

7. Eli Heidenreich, FB, Navy

7. Lake McRee, TE, USC

7. Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota St.

I addressed defensive line in the first round this time. I prefer corner with that pick but Caleb Banks would be an outstanding addition to the Vikings defensive line. D’Angelo Ponds is probably my favorite corner in this draft. The only problem with Ponds, and the only reason he’s not a projected top-10 pick, is his 5’9” height. The Vikings need an outside corner. He has the skills to play there. His height is the only question. The difference between 5’9” and 5’11” is only 2 inches. It might as well be a foot to NFL talent evaluators. This mock draft is really growing on me. It has a Navy fullback. 

Until the next one.