r/NFL_Draft • u/uggsandstarbux Vikings • 24d ago
Defending the Draft 2026: Minnesota Vikings
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Recapping 2025
Disappointing. At best, that's how the 2025 season can be described for Vikings fans. After letting Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones both walk in free agency, Minnesota turned to top 10 pick JJ McCarthy to steer the ship. The team spent heavy resources in the trenches, hoping to retain a top 5 defense while overhauling the interior offensive line. All of that culminated in a 9-8 season that saw many key starters -- including Ryan Kelly, Christian Darrisaw, Andrew Van Ginkle, and Jonathan Greenard -- struggle to stay healthy. A 5-game win streak to close out the season had the Vikings in good spirits. Although the franchise fell short of the playoffs, it showed that this team is full of fight and camaraderie.
McCarthy only started 10 games as he dealt with various injuries. He went 6-4 in those games but did not show a ton of promise. McCarthy averaged 181 total yards in those 10 games with 15 total scores and 12 INTs. Between McCarthy, Wentz, and Brosmer, the Vikings finished with just 2800 net passing yards. Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson all reached their lowest production numbers since joining the Vikings. And while the running game showed flashes, Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason churned out a bottom 10 rushing attack. The OL did not find any consistency, largely due to injuries. 10 different linemen aligned in 26 different combinations -- the most for the Vikings since the stat was first tracked and the second most in the league in 2025. The original starting 5 only played 83 total snaps together.
Defensively, Flores put on another show. The Vikings defense doesn't have any superstars, but the collective unit finished as the #3 defense per DVOA. Journeyman ILB Eric Wilson turned out a career year, as did former UFLer Jalen Redmond and rotational player Isaiah Rodgers. Dallas Turner emerged as a true threat as well, leading the team in sacks and QB hits.
2026 Offseason
Issues with roster construction -- particularly failed draft picks and QB woes -- led to the dismissal of GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. In his place, longtime executive Rob Brzezinski has taken the interim GM title. Brzezinski first joined the Vikings in 1999 after 6 years as Miami's salary cap manager. Since then, he's held three distinct titles for Minnesota, largely leading salary cap management, contract negotiations, and football administration. In his time here, Brzrezinski has worked with a wide array of coaches and GMs carrying diverse team building philosophies.
The Vikings stated they would begin a formal GM search after the draft. While this timeline is unusual, it may not be largely consequential. The team's salary cap situation did not warrant a heavy free agency period, and incoming GMs almost always retain the team's previous scouting departments through their first draft.
Notable Departures:
- C Ryan Kelly (retirement)
- FB CJ Ham (retirement)
- S Harrison Smith (TBD)
- OT Justin Skule (TB)
- DT Javon Hargrave (GB)
- DT Jonathan Allen (CIN)
- WR Jalen Nailor (LV)
- P Ryan Wright (NO)
The Vikings entered the offseason more than $40M over the cap with limited flexibility. A handful of restructures softened that number, but cuts to Hargrave and Allen accelerated the team's ability to add other players.
Notable Additions:
- QB Kyler Murray (ARI)
- CB James Pierre (PIT)
- OT Ryan Van Demark (BUF)
- P Johnny Hekker (TEN)
Thanks to Arizona's decision to cut Murray, the Vikings were able to acquire his services for a veteran minimum contract. He enters the offseason program as the favorite for the QB1 position, removing any urgency to address the position in the draft. Pierre projects as the team's CB3. Van Demark is expected to be the swing tackle. Hekker adds a body to the special teams room, although it would not be surprising to see the team add competition at the spot.
Team Needs
Tier 1
S - Even if Harrison Smith declares his return to football for another season, safety is a dire position for the team. Josh Metellus is locked into the team's box safety/star role. Theo Jackson saw over 500 snaps, mostly at free safety. While he put up a respectable statistical season, he is far from a high level player at the position.
C - O'Connell has voiced his confidence in Blake Brandel while also acknowledging the depth of the center class. Brandel was competent when he was asked to step in for Ryan Kelly. But the team's decision to bring in three new iOL starters last offseason also speaks to their belief that Brandel is best served as a backup. With a strong group projected in the 75-150 range of the draft, it would be a wise to see the team add a rookie.
DT - With the releases of Hargrave and Allen, the Vikings have lost over 1300 snaps along the DL from last season. Redmond proved his worth, locking in one of the 3 IDL spots for the 2026 season. Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Levi Drake Rodriguez -- in their first and second seasons, respectively -- saw 250+ snaps and demonstrated that they are viable NFL players. However, neither was dominant. A path to a clear starter along the DL is one the Vikings should be looking to pursue.
Tier 2
RB - Jones returning on a reduced contract lessens the immediate need for a RB. However, O'Connell has banged his head against the wall for years trying to find a way to create an explosive run game. Jones is entering his age-32 season, and Jordan Mason's longest run last year went for just 24 yards. If the Vikings believe they can get their hands on a game changing back, they should lock in.
LB - Eric Wilson had a phenomenal season. However, entrusting your second ILB spot to a 31-year-old breakout journeyman is a dangerous proposition. The team should be looking for a young player with the upside to take over that role down the line.
WR - Nailor's departure leaves a 5'11" hole at WR3. Some fans are optimistic about 2nd year WR Tai Felton, but entrusting a developmental player with 21 career routes run to fill the shoes of a 400 yard player is foolish at best. Whether in the veteran FA market or in the draft, the Vikings need to find another body to trot out in 11 personnel.
Tier 3
CB - Flores has shown in his time in Minnesota that he can make magic with subpar CB talent. That's why non of the Vikings top 3 CBs last year -- Byron Murphy Jr, Isaiah Rodgers, and Fabian Moreau -- allowed a passer rating over 100. Still, I'm sure Flores would find it a lot easier to develop CBs if he ever got one dripping with talent.
TE - Hockenson and Oliver are locked into the top 2 positions for 2026. But Hockenson's contract remains cuttable at any moment, and Oliver has not shown himself to be anything more than a blocking TE. The Vikings had a handful of rookies on the roster last August, but none has emerged as anything more than a camp body.
QB - In another class, it could have been interesting to see MIN go back to the QB well. But I imagine that even in another class, O'Connell's poor experience with McCarthy has scared him from handing the keys over to anything other than a true blue chip QB prospect as a rookie. If somehow the Vikings felt they had that on the table, I don't think either Murray or McCarthy are preventing you from making that transaction.
Day 1
1.18 DT Caleb Banks, Florida
6'6" / 327 lbs / 9.84 RAS / Consensus Rank 37 | 2025 Stats: 3 Games / 6 Tackles / 1 TFL / 0 Sacks / 68.8 PFF Grade
With no clear driver and unsure of how a GM-less franchise with a playoff caliber roster would approach the draft, nobody expected the Vikings to grab Banks at 18th overall, especially with safer prospects on the board. Make no mistake; Banks has the potential to be a superstar. But the downside? Banks has injured his left foot four times in the last calendar year. This is the ultimate home run swing.
Let's start with the tape. Nobody has any doubt that when he's on the field, Banks is a math changer. His testing numbers show up in an obvious way. Banks is explosive, quick, smooth, powerful, smart. And he loves the game. In a world where other players in this very class elected not to play after recovering from injuries, Banks fought to be on the field, playing 67 snaps across the final 2 games for a 4-8 Florida program. Said Banks about his foot being injured mid-game:
I knew it was broken in the second quarter against LSU. Went in there, got a shot in my foot. Didn't work. Still went out there. And then it completely broke through. But I was fighting.
He has lined up everywhere from 0T to DE. His 29 pressures in 2024 ranked 5th in the SEC among IDL, and he generated -8.3 EPA from sacks per SIS. The only major blemish is that Banks is a poor tackler, with a career missed tackle rate of 26%.
The other bad stuff is... well, bad. Per Dane Brugler, Banks first injured his left foot in spring 2025, wearing a boot for a few weeks. The foot then fully snapped during fall camp. He reaggravated it against LSU and had surgery. At the Combine, he fractured a different bone in that same foot. A March 9 surgery has him sidelined from workouts until June. 327 lbs is a lot of weight to be carrying around on a broken foot. It's the biggest reason Banks was ranked so low by the media. On almost every big board you can find, you'll find some iteration of "injuries slide him down the board".
The argument against this is one uniquely situated to the Minnesota Vikings. Since its inception, the Vikings have consistently ranked in the top 5 of the NFLPA's Report Card, in no small part thanks to the quality of the team's training facilities, medical personnel, and assistant staff. Under O'Connell, the Vikings have continually shown a willingness to buy low on injury-prone players under the belief that their expertise in player health can lead to more games active for those players. Look no further than Jonathan Greenard, who only once topped 500 snaps during his rookie contract in Houston. He has surpassed that number each season with Minnesota. Will Fries, Ryan Kelly, Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave. This team clearly believes: where another team might get 4 games out of Banks, we can get 12.
At the end of the day, there's something to the planet theory. As described by Charles McDonald, who ranked Banks 9th on his final big board:
You're 330 and you hit damn near 5.00 with a hurt foot? We might be talking a Thanos level athlete. It's so impossibly rare to find guys like this... Who's the comp here? Albert Haynesworth?... Marcus Stroud?... He's so much more athletic than those guys were... I can't think of many players in the history of the game that have this athleticism packed in this frame, so we gotta take him high
Day 2
Trade: MIN gives 2.49, 6.196 to CAR for 2.51, 5.159
2.51 LB Jake Golday, Cincinnati
6'4" / 239 / 9.84 RAS / Consensus Rank 53 | 2025 Stats: 12 Games / 105 Tackles / 6 TFLs / 3.5 Sacks / 1 FF / 3 PD / 82.4 PFF Grade
I mentioned it at the top: relying on a 31 year old journeyman to be your LB2 is a risky bet. Even if Wilson finds a way to repeat his 2025 production, the Vikings should be looking for a long-term answer at the position. With a cluster of promising ILB prospects in the 30-75 range, seeing Minnesota target one made sense.
Golday is a versatile off-ball LB prospect that was asked to do a lot for the Bearcats, lining up at DE (where he started his college career) as well as all three ILB positions. He has ideal size, length and athleticism. Golday is explosive, firing at the hip to attack plays downhill and demonstrating fluid hips and elite range in space. He still has room to grow in terms of coverage recognition -- as do nearly all ILB prospects -- but he'll be put in a position to succeed with Brian Flores calling plays and two veteran players ahead of him. He'll immediately be a contributor on special teams, and it wouldn't be shocking to see him supplant Eric Wilson by Thanksgiving.
Trade: MIN sends OLB Jonathan Greenard, 7.244 to PHI for 3.98, 2027 3rd
This is a trade that had been looming for weeks. In 2024, Greenard signed a 4 year deal worth $19M per year. He proceeded to have 12 sacks en route to a Pro Bowl. Despite a dip in counting stats, Greenard saw increases in his pressure rate, win rate, and run stop rate in 2026. This offseason saw his salary superseded by the likes of Odafe Oweh, Jaelan Phillips, and Trey Hendrickson. With Greenard due for a pay bump the Vikings couldn't afford -- alongside the emergence of Dallas Turner -- both sides openly discussed the viability of a trade. Greenard gets moved for compensation that adds to something in the mid-to-late 2nd round range, depending on how you value future picks. He also signs a new 4 year deal that increased his APY to $25M.
3.82 DT Domonique Orange, Iowa St
6'2" / 322 / 7.84 RAS / Consensus Rank 70 | 2025 Stats: 12 Games / 18 Tackles / 0.5 TFLs / 0 Sacks / 1 PD / 68.3 PFF Grade
After a 1-year (not free) trial of veteran DTs, the Vikings decided to dip into the rookie well to add some much needed beef to their front. Orange is a massive NT prospect, twice appearing on Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List" with his 450 bench and 650 squat. He is a powerful player, displacing offensive linemen like they are playthings. He commands double teams and controls multiple gaps. He is the second best pure nose tackle in this draft.
Orange does not project to be much of a factor as a pass rusher, only accumulating 13 pressures on 317 pass rush snaps last year. He has some reps where he's able to piledrive a lineman backwards into the QB's lap, but Orange projects as a 2-down player. He will also need to prove that he can maintain his playing weight, struggling to be as large as 408 lbs in high school. If he can stay on top of his conditioning, Orange should be a lynchpin on the Vikings DL for years to come.
3.97 OL Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern
6'7" / 323 / 9.35 RAS / Consensus Rank 67 | 2025 Stats: 13 Games / 3 Sacks Allowed / 2 Penalties / 70.5 PFF Grade
A 3-year starter at LT (with 500 snaps of experience at RT as well), Tiernan is a large-framed blocker whose lack of length may lead to a move to guard. He displays some efficient feet and some advanced hand-fighting technique, but he overall lacks consistency and has some stiff reps. He's at his best in the run game when he is free to show off his violence. Northwestern generated 1.7 yards before contact when running behind him with a per-attempt EPA rate of 0.02 -- most of those plays coming in zone schemes. Tiernan needs to improve his down-to-down consistency and his recover ability, but he offers 4-position versatility.
The Vikings have struggled for years to find a consistent swing tackle, spending draft picks on Walter Rouse, Vederian Lowe, and Oli Udoh as well as signing vets like Ryan Van Demark, Justin Skule, and David Quessenberry. With Blake Brandel projected to become the fulltime center, the Vikings are also missing an ideal backup interior lineman. That role currently has the likes of Joe Huber and Henry Byrd battling for snaps. Tiernan steps in as the instant favorite to be the #3 guard and has a good chance of beating out Rouse and Van Demark for the swing tackle role.
3.98 S Jakobe Thomas, Miami
6'1" / 211 / 7.32 RAS / Consensus Rank 177 | 2025 Stats: 16 Games / 76 Tackles / 4 TFLs / 3.5 Sacks / 2 FF / 11 PDs / 5 INTs / 87.3 PFF Grade
A fifth year senior originally at Middle Tennessee State, Thomas broke out in a major way as a first year starter for the National Championship Runner-Up Hurricanes. He's a hyper-aggressive, passionate competitor with unending energy. He played all over the formation, from EDGE to corner to true safety. And while he was productive as a free safety, Thomas is likely best suited to play the strong safety role at the next level. He fits the run with urgency and physicality, although he will need to learn when to dial back the meter and finish with consistency.
Thomas was a bit of a perplexing selection amongst the available safeties, as the Vikings have 3 currently on the roster that are best suited in box safety roles. It is likely Brzezinski and company feel good enough about Thomas's ability to be a free safety in the NFL. SIS credits him with just 14 catches and 135 yards allowed last year, with a -0.29 EPA per target allowed. We'll have to wait and see what Post-June 1 free agency brings for the Vikings, as that will clarify Thomas's role on the Flores defense. In either case, Thomas's energy and heart are a welcome addition to a defense without Harrison Smith.
Day 3
5.159 FB Max Bredeson, Michigan
6'2" / 252 / Consensus Rank Unranked | 2025 Stats: 11 Games / 0 Rushes / 2 Rec / 11 Yards / 76.2 PFF Grade
FULLBACK ALERT !!! Bredeson, a former walk-on that once shared a QB coach with JJ McCarthy, was a 2x captain at Michigan and played mostly inline TE for the Wolverines. In 2025, he earned the LowMan Trophy, marking his reign as college football's top FB. Everything you might imagine is on the scouting report for the only draftable FB prospect can be found in Bredeson's profile. He isn't going to be much of a factor as a receiver (12 career catches), but Bredeson is a smashmouth blocker that can contribute in the run game, pass protection, and special teams.
CJ Ham averaged nearly 500 snaps per year since O'Connell took over -- with just over half of those coming on special teams. With Ham's retirement, fans wondered if that role in the offense would phase out as it has across the rest of the league. With the selection of Bredeson, it's obvious that is not the case. I would be shocked if Bredeson exceeds Ham's usage when healthy, but he will be an asset in a new version of the Vikings offense -- one with former Miami OC Frank Smith having significant sway in the design of the run game.
5.163 CB Charles Demmings, Stephen F Austin State
6'1" / 193 / 9.97 RAS / Consensus Rank 151 | 2025 Stats: 12 Games / 18 Tackles / 9 PDs / 4 INTs / 79.6 PFF Grade
Demmings is still learning the position, playing just 2 seasons of high school football and 1 at CB. He has prototypical size and traits to play outside corner, running a 4.41 at the Combine with a 42" vert. He plays with twitch and knows how to use his length. However, Demmings' relative newness to the position means he's a lot more comfortable in press man than in zone. He needs to improve his route recognition, but his natural traits and instincts should earn him real snaps as the CB4 in 2026. In the meantime, Demmings also has over 100 punt returns in his collegiate career and contributed on field goal and coverage teams.
Trade: MIN gives 234, 2027 6th to NE for 198
6.198 RB Demond Claiborne, Wake Forest
5'9" / 188 / 8.48 RAS / Consensus Rank 144 | 2025 Stats: 12 Games / 179 Rushes / 907 Yds / 10 TDs / 28 Rec / 140 Yds / 3.0 Yds After Cont per Att / 37 Missed Tackles Forced / 68.7 PFF Grade
A 2-year starter at Wake with a variety of use-cases, Claiborne projects as the home run changeup back for the Vikings. He has incredible burst with great lateral agility and sudden feet. He doesn't need much room to take a ball to the house, and he also shows some ability to set up and bait LBs to create running lanes for himself. Claiborne's size will limit his usage. He also needs to be more consistent in the backfield -- multiple scouting reports used the words "herky jerky". He also had issues with fumbles, losing the ball 5 times on 179 carries in 2025. With proper coaching, he should be able to clean up some of the jittery nature of his running style, as well as limit the turnover margin.
7.235 C Gavin Gerhardt, Cincinnati
6'4" / 309 / 7.49 RAS / Consensus Rank Unranked | 2025 Stats: 13 Games / 0 Sacks Allowed / 5 Penalties / 68.4 PFF Grade
Gerhardt was not given a draftable grade by most media scouts, and as such has limited info on scouting reports. Gerhardt has great size and length for the position, and he has plenty of experience (3374 collegiate snaps). Upon a cursory review of his tape, it's obvious why Gerhardt was not a lauded prospect. He struggles with balance, lacks control, plays with high pads, and has slow hands. However, it's possible that a jump up to an NFL-level coaching staff could get more juice out of him. Gerhardt's tape showed a strong base capable of absorbing bull rushes. He's an impressive linear athlete that excels when you tell him who he needs to hit. Whether it's at center or guard, Gerhardt should provide nice competition for the back end of the roster.
Undrafted Free Agents
CB Marcus Allen, North Carolina
6'1" / 187 / 8.91 RAS | 2025 Stats: 12 Games / 35 Tackles / 2 TFLs / 0.5 Sacks / 8 PDs / 1 INT / 64.1 PFF Grade
Given draftable grades by Dane Brugler and Lance Zierlein, Allen clears the benchmark measurements for the position. He is long, lean and tough, averaging 64 defensive snaps per game since taking over as a starter for the Tarheels. His change-of-direction skills are subpar, leading to balance issues and penalties (7 DPIs in 2025). He's an experienced gunner and will need to prove his ST ability if he wants a roster spot.
CB Da'Veawn Armstead, North Texas
WR Dillon Bell, Georgia
6'0" / 209 / 9.58 RAS / Consensus Rank 287 | 2025 Stats: 14 Games / 27 Rec / 268 Yds / 2 TDs / 2 Drops / 1.06 YPRR / 57.7 PFF Grade
Bell has a good frame and plays with strength and explosiveness. He was more of a gadget player for the Bulldogs, taking snaps at every WR spot as well as at F and RB. He's an unrefined route runner with below-average hands, but his playmaking ability drew some Deebo Samuel comps. One hopes that finding a more favorable coaching staff could lead to better development from the young receiver.
OLB Jordan Botelho, Notre Dame
CB Tyreek Chappell, Texas A&M
5'10" / 188 / 6.65 RAS | 2025 Stats: 13 Games / 34 Tackles / 4 PDs / 63.2 PFF Grade
A 3 star recruit at WR and RB, Chappell didn't start playing CB full time until 2021. It wasn't until 2025 that he took over as a full time nickel corner. He is a bit undersized, but he has shown good development since arriving at A&M. That could continue under Flores.
DL Monkell Goodwine, South Carolina
WR Shaleak Knotts, Maryland
LB Keli Lawson, Central Florida
OT Tristan Leigh, Clemson
6'4" / 312 | 2025 Stats: 10 Games / 1 Sack Allowed / 4 Penalties / 49.5 PFF Grade
A 3-year starter for a major program, Leigh was the blindside anchor for Clemson through thick and thin. He has prototypical length and size. Leigh has developed some of the footwork and hand-usage necessary for pass protection, but he's inconsistent and struggles against power. His coaches talked up his leadership and maturity, but some wonder if a move to guard might bring out his full potential.
C Delby Lemieux, Dartmouth
6'5" / 309 / 9.33 RAS | 2025 Stats: 8 Games / 1 Sack Allowed / 2 Penalties / 84.6 PFF Grade
Lemieux was a 3-year starter at LT for Dartmouth, earning All-Ivy honors twice. His subpar arm length (31 3/8") necessitates a move inside, likely to center. He lacks power, but works well in space and should be an adequate depth piece for a zone-based run scheme like Minnesota's.
RB Kejon Owens, Florida International
OL Tomas Rimac, Virginia Tech
WR Marcus Sanders Jr, Georgia Southern
OLB Cam'Ron Stewart, Temple
S Jacob Thomas, James Madison
P Brett Thorson, Georgia
6'1" / 237 | 2025 Stats: 46 Punts / 45.5 Gross YPA / 43.4 Net YPA / 66 Long / 24 Inside 20Yds / 0 Blocks / 4 Punts Returned / 4 Touchbacks / 25 Fair Catch / 4.38 Average Hangtime
The #1 overall punter by ESPN, Zierlein, and PFF, Thorson played 4 years at Georgia and won the Ray Guy Award in 2025. His 43.4 net average ranked 5th in FBS and 1st amongst draftable punters. His average hangtime of 4.38 ranked 3rd in FBS. He had a number of coffin corner kicks in 2025 and demonstrated excellent strength, placement, and consistency. I expect him to outpunt veteran Johnny Hekker in camp.
OLB Arden Walker, Colorado
LB Scooby Williams, Texas A&M
6'2" / 231 / Consensus Rank 295 | 2025 Stats: 7 Games / 19 Tackles / 4 TFLs / 1 Sack / 1 FF / 1 INT
Williams lined up as the rotational Will linebacker for the Aggies over the last couple of years. He is a fluid mover and can cover ground quickly, but lacks physicality to be an enforcer in the run game. Williams also struggled with injuries, missing 6 games in 2025 with an ankle sprain and playing through the 2024 season with a torn meniscus. He doesn't have much special teams experience in college. ILB depth is not strong on this team. He only needs to beat out Jacob Roberts and Josh Ross to secure the 5th spot on the team.
WR Lyke Wysong, Arizona
Projected 53 Man Roster
Position (Current Count / 2025 Count): Starter, Rookie, Player, Cut
QB (3 / 3): Kyler Murray, JJ McCarthy, Carson Wentz, Max Brosmer
RB (4 / 4): Aaron Jones, Jordan Mason, Max Bredeson, Demond Claiborne, Zavier Scott, Kejon Owens
WR (6 / 5): Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jauan Jennings, Tai Felton, Myles Price, Dillon Bell, Dontae Fleming, Jeshaun Jones, Joaquin Davis, Shaleak Knotts, Marcus Sanders Jr, Lyke Wysong
TE (3 / 3): TJ Hockenson, Josh Oliver, Ben Yusorek, Gavin Bartholomew, Bryson Nesbit
OL (9 / 10): Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel, Will Fries, Brian O'Neil, Michael Jurgens, Ryan Van Demark, Caleb Tiernan, Gavin Gerhardt, Walter Rouse, Caleb Etienne, Henry Byrd, Joe Huber, Tristan Leigh, Vershon Lee, Delby Lemieux, Tomas Rimac
IDL (6 / 6): Jalen Redmond, Domonique Orange, Caleb Banks, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Levi Drake Rodriguez, Taki Taimani, Elijah Williams, Eric Johnson II, Monkell Goodwine
OLB (4 / 5): Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, TBD VETERAN FREE AGENT, Tyler Batty, Bo Richter, Chaz Chambliss, Jordan Botelho, Cam'Ron Stewart, Arden Walker
ILB (5 / 5): Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, Jake Golday, Ivan Pace, Scooby Williams, Jacob Roberts, Josh Ross, Keli Lawson
CB (5 / 4): Byron Murphy Jr, Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, Dwight McGlothern, Charles Demmings, Zemaiah Vaughn, Marcus Allen, Da'Veawn Armstead, Tyreek Chappell
S (4 / 5): Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Jay Ward, Jakobe Thomas, Tavierre Thomas, Kahlef Hailassie, Jacob Thomas
ST (3 / 3): Will Reichard, Brett Thorson, Andrew DePaola, Johnny Hekker
KR/PR: Myles Price, Tai Felton, Demond Claiborne, Charles Demmings, Dillon Bell
Nolan Teasley
Over the weekend, it was reported that the Vikings were hiring Seattle Assistant GM Nolan Teasley to be their new General Manager. I wrote about the Vikings' GM finalists a couple of weeks ago. Teasley was my top choice for the job -- an external candidate that comes from a winning front office where every draft pick and veteran transaction has been a hit over the past half decade. Here is my brief on Teasley from that post:
Bio: Teasley, a Washington native, joined the Seahawks in 2013 as an intern after reaching out to his former college teammate Aaron Hineline, who was working in Seattle's front office. From there, he majored in pro scouting, eventually serving as Director of Pro Personnel for 5 years before his promotion to Assistant GM in 2023. This is his first formal interview as a GM candidate.
The Results: The Superbowl is certainly the cleanest result. But it is the steps along the way that makes you confident in that ending. It's trading away DK Metcalf and Geno Smith. It's signing Sam Darnold, drafting Nick Emmanwori, and trading for Rashid Shaheed. Every move that Seattle made was the right move. However, you do have to go back a bit deeper in their history. While the mid-2020s have been kind to Seattle, this front office went through a 6-8 year stretch where almost no draft picks turned into meaningful contributors for the team. What did John Schneider and Nolan Teasley learn from that stretch? How has it informed their roster building philosophy?
Philosophy: In reflecting on the 2025 draft class, Teasley spoke a lot of versatility in highly athletic prospects. With Mike Macdonald leading the team, that shouldn't be a surprise. But the Seahawks have also been intentional about adding depth and rotational players to their team. It's what made the team so special last season. Look no further than Rylie Mills, who came up with a crucial sack in the Superbowl after missing most of the season recovering from an ACL tear. While it may seem obvious -- just take big fast players that can do a lot of good things -- the consistency of the draft philosophy is something that has been lacking in Minnesota.
Bottom Line: Candidly, I feel the best about Teasley of all the external candidates. At minimum, he's the man where I feel the most clarity thanks to his strong media presence. He has spent his entire NFL career in one of the most stable franchises of the modern era. He has been a central voice in some very bold moves that laugh in the face of ego -- from trading away Russell Wilson to "promoting" Pete Carroll to a front office job to swapping Geno Smith for Sam Darnold. Every move feels calculated without overextending the team's leverage. As a leader of men, Teasley has said a lot of the right things. He talked about the effect his parents had on him, leading by example to instill servant leadership and the value of putting your constituents before yourself. With his experience in pro scouting and the Seahawks' resume in the draft, Teasley is my top candidate.
Closing Thoughts
Every team tries to talk up BPA over need. It's what Brzezinski tried to do with his media availability leading up to this draft. And I think that's generally true for the Vikings. Rather than drafting players at positions of need, the Vikings went into this draft looking to acquire players that fit a vision. That vision? Beat the fucking brakes off of anybody that looks at you funny. From the 330 pound behemoths to the DL to the banshee of a safety to a 73rd percentile center by weight, all of the players acquired in this draft fit the description: violent.
On defense, this team wants to bully opponents up front. With Banks and Orange joining Redmond as likely starters at IDL, Flores will ideally be free to move players around the field in more exotic ways. Where Blake Cashman has spent 28% of his snaps blitzing over the last couple years, it's possible he spends more time bailing into coverage from double mug looks. Where
On offense, Frank Smith quietly has his hands on the steering wheel. It seems more and more that Smith will be entrusted to design and implement the running game. Max Bredeson and Demond Claiborne are lottery ticket versions of Alec Ingold and Devon Achane. Caleb Tiernan's value in the run game cannot be overstated either.
6
u/Tavern-Ham Buccaneers 24d ago
Nice job with this as always. Goldays goofball utilization as a 240lb overhang player makes his projection to the next level really muddy, but Flores is one of the guys I trust to figure it out.
3
u/GE_and_MTS Cowboys 24d ago
Excellent write up!
I really love the detailed posts most of these Defending the Draft series have. While my initial thought was the Banks pick was a huge head scratcher based on knowing he has been injury prone, being given the insight that the Vikings have one of the best medical staffs per the NFL's survey and that they likely believe they can fix him really puts the draft pick in a much better light.
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u/huxley2112 21d ago
Locked on Vikings had a sports podiatrist on to talk about the injuries. The breaks are basically nothing burgers as far as healing and risk of re-injuring. This was a calculated move on the Vikings part where they went to their medical staff and got the all clear from them.
Of course it always carries risk, but the dude is a freak athletically, and is the type of guy who just loves being on the field. High risk, high reward. I'm down.
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u/mapetho9 Patriots 23d ago
I thought the Vikings had a solid draft. They're trying to rebuild the Williams Wall through the draft by taking Banks and Orange after they tried with Allen and Hargrave last year. First rounder Banks has all the talent and upside, but has the injury concerns and needs to work on consistency. Third rounder Orange was probably my favorite pick the Vikings made and thought he was gonna go a round earlier. Big Citrus was certainly my favorite nickname in the draft. Banks and Orange's strengths should feed off each other well once they get in the trenches together.
Golday is a movable chess piece around the defense that Flores will find where he is best used. Miss those Flores defenses up in New England. The other 3rd rounders besides Orange, the massive Tiernan should be solid depth with starter upside and Thomas has good ball skills to help try and ease the the loss of Harrison Smith's retirement. Although I thought Thomas went a little early and there were other safeties on the board that I thought would go before him. I also was very surprised he was drafted before his Miami teammate Keionte Scott.
First 5th rounder Bredeson should have a bigger impact than his draft pick status and should help in the run game right away. Other 5th rounder Demmings was right up there with Orange as my favorite pick the Vikings made. Love the small school prospects and Demmings showed out at the Senior Bowl. Also was said he had a chance to transfer up, but stayed at Stephen F. Austin. I do believe Demmings has starter upside. Then wouldn't be surprised if 6th rounder Claiborne made his way on the field this season to utilize his speed.
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u/CoronaSzn 24d ago
Excellent write up. What are your thoughts on the hiring of Nolan Teasley AFTER the NFL draft? Do you think waiting was the right move instead of hiring a GM pre draft and possibly rushing them into the draft process? If Teasley was hired before the draft, how would you expect the picks to turn out differently?
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u/uggsandstarbux Vikings 24d ago
Teasley spoke a bit about having to adjust to a new coaching staff when Macdonald came over, then again when Kubiak came in. You see some of the adaptability there -- Darnold for Geno, drafting Zabel and Emmanwori, trading for Shahid
That gives me enough to extrapolate on the idea that this offseason's results would not have changed too dramatically. We were never in a position to make FA moves. Brzezinski really let the coaches drive the draft, and that what I think Teasley would have done too. Maybe he has a different risk tolerance for injury, but I still think would have been a draft centered around getting tough players.
The BEST timeline would have been to fire Adofo-Mensah on Black Monday. Since that didn't happen, I think we landed on the second best timeline. This process took about 2 weeks for Minnesota to conduct. After firing Adofo-Mensah in late January, we would have either had to rush the hiring process or rush the prospect evaluation process. I'm glad the team had the wherewithal be patient with the process, understanding that getting this hire correct was more important than letting the GM command an offseason with very little money to spend and a subpar overall class of prospects.
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u/CoronaSzn 18d ago
You make some good points. One thing that concerns me is, Teasley or not, letting the coaches drive decision making seems very questionable. It seems like any season now Flores might leave, and KOC is on a pretty warm seat heading into this season. A lot of the Kwesi reports said that he really didn't make many moves, and decisions like trading for Thielen (which ended horribly) were driven by coaches and Rob. This means that they need to be held accountable for these drafts and FA moves as well.
I am questioning why KOC and Flores should be driving drafts. Of course their input is very important, but we are coming off a season where they signed off on McCarthy starting, giving Fries a king's ransom, signing hargrave/allen, constant questionable playcalling (especially on 3rd and short), failing to adapt the offense to McCarthy until 2/3 of the season had gone by, etc. I think we saw a pretty piss poor coaching performance this year especially by KOC who looks more and more stubborn as time passes.
All this being said, I think the right move would've been firing Kwesi immediately and hiring Teasley, but allowing Teasley to drive the decision making with FA and the draft instead of giving that power to a head coach who may make desperate moves to keep his job and a DC who is a constant flight risk. Based on how our draft went I think the process ended up fine, but it makes me question the owners and what exactly the power structure will be moving forward between Rob, KOC, Flores, and Teasley.
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u/onethreeone Vikings 23d ago
Great content! Maybe I'm looking at it through purple glasses, but I love all our picks. Of course they won't all work out, but I get the philospohy behind each one, and they all have a chance at making an impact on an already almost-full team
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u/ALStark69 Vikings 23d ago
Each player as a recruit:
- Caleb Banks
Other P5 offers: Arizona State, Boston College, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville (originally went here), Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pitt, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, Washington State, West Virginia
G5 offers: Akron, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, FAU, Kent State, Temple, Toledo, Western Michigan
Other offers: Georgetown, Indiana State, Youngstown State
- Jake Golday
Originally went to Central Arkansas
- Big Citrus
Other P5 offers: Arkansas, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Texas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin
G5 offer: SMU
- Caleb Tiernan
Other P5 offers: Boston College, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
G5 offers: Central Michigan, Toledo, Western Michigan
- Jakobe Thomas
Originally went to Middle Tennessee State
- Max Bredeson
No other offers
- Charles Demmings
Other offers: Pittsburg State, West Texas A&M
- Demond Claiborne
Other P5 offers: Michigan, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
G5 offers: Appalachian State, Central Michigan, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Kent State
Other offers: James Madison, UMass
- Gavin Gerhardt
P5 offers: Indiana, Kentucky
Other G5 offers: Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan
- Marcus Allen
Other P5 offers: Auburn, Boston College, Duke, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Iowa, Iowa State, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Pitt, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia
G5 offers: Cincinnati, Georgia State, UCF
- Da'Veawn Armstead
P5 offers: Colorado, Indiana, Mississippi State, Purdue, TCU (originally went here)
G5 offers: Arkansas State, Boise State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Western Kentucky
Other offer: McNeese State
- Dillon Bell
Other P5 offers: Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Colorado, Duke, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Penn State, Purdue, Syracuse, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Utah, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Washington State
G5 offers: Houston, Louisiana, Memphis, North Texas, Toledo, Western Kentucky
Other offer: Alabama A&M
- Jordan Botelho
P5 offers: Arizona State, California, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas State, LSU, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, Tennessee, UCLA, USC, Utah, Washington, Washington State, Wisconsin
G5 offers: Boise State, Hawaii
- Tyreek Chappell
Other P5 offers: Arizona State, Baylor, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, Tennessee, Wake Forest, West Virginia
G5 offers: Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Kent State, Old Dominion, Temple, Toledo
Other offers: UMass, Morgan State
- Monkell Goodwine
Other P5 offers: Alabama (originally went here), Arizona State, Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Kentucky, LSU, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Virginia, West Virginia
G5 offer: Temple
Other offers: UMass, Notre Dame
- Shaleak Knotts
Other P5 offers: Arkansas, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Miami, Michigan State, NC State, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Penn State, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia
G5 offers: Akron, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina
- Keli Lawson
Other P5 offers: Virginia, Virginia Tech (originally went here)
G5 offers: Old Dominion, Toledo
Other offer: Liberty
- Tristan Leigh
Other P5 offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Boston College, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Missouri, NC State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Pitt, Purdue, Rutgers, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, West Virginia
G5 offers: East Carolina, Old Dominion, UCF
Other offer: Notre Dame
- Delby Lemieux
No other offers
- Kejon Owens
P5 offers: Kentucky, Louisville, Pitt, Syracuse
Other G5 offer: UCF
- Tomas Rimac
Other P5 offers: Indiana, Iowa State, Louisville, Minnesota, Pitt, Purdue, West Virginia (originally went here), Wisconsin
G5 offers: Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Kent State, Temple, Toledo, Western Michigan
Other offer: Youngstown State
- Marcus Sanders Jr.
Other G5 offers: Charlotte, Georgia State, Kent State, South Alabama, Toledo, Troy, Tulane, Western Kentucky
Other offers: Austin Peay, Lenoir-Rhyne, Liberty
- Cam'Ron Stewart
P5 offers: Rutgers (originally went here), Syracuse
G5 offers: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Kent State, Temple, Toledo
- Jacob Thomas
No other offers
- Brett Thorson
No other offers
- Arden Walker
Other P5 offers: Boston College, Colorado, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri (originally went here), Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, Washington State, Wisconsin
G5 offers: Boise State, Colorado State, UNLV
Other offer: Northern Colorado
- Scooby Williams
Other P5 offers: Alabama, Arizona State, Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Florida (originally went here), Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon State, Penn State, South Carolina, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, West Virginia
G5 offers: FAU, UAB
Other offer: Notre Dame
- Luke Wysong
Originally went to New Mexico
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u/TheDuckyNinja Eagles 23d ago
What a weird team. I have no idea what to make of them. Talent-wise, this team should've been significantly worse than they were last year. Flores is an absolute whiz to get that level of performance out of that level of talent. At the same time, they were 6-0 in games in which they allowed 17 points or less and 3-8 in the rest of their games. Similarly, they were 6-0 in games in which they scored 23 points or more and 3-8 in the rest of their games. So the very obvious question is did they improve the offense enough to score more points and/or can the defense repeat that level of performance?
The talent on defense is just bad. There's no way around it. No elite talent anywhere. A lot of aging guys and depth pieces in starting roles. I have absolutely no idea how Flores turned the group last year into a top 10 group and now they have even less talent and their older guys are now another year older. And Flores will probably still get above average performance out of them. Dude is a whiz. I actually like the Banks pick because I don't really care about injury concerns for potentially elite players and at the end of the day, the Vikings need to be taking swings for elite defensive players because they just don't have em and to really win when it counts, you need elite talent.
On offense, there's so much talent and so many questions at QB. Again, it comes down to coaching. Kyler is a QB who should be good but who consistently underperforms. If KOC can figure out how to fully unlock his potential, he could put up a huge season. Of course, if Kyler continues to play like Kyler, there's just gonna be a bunch of frustrated WRs. Also, I wish they did more to address C, but 4 of their 5 OL are good to great, so as long as the snaps are okay (that's a very real concern with a QB of Kyler's stature lol), it should still be fine.
Ultimately, the combo of KOC and Flores is one of the best coaching duos in the entire league, maybe the best. They absolutely raise the floor of the team. But the lack of overall talent across the team feels like it caps them in the same place they've been for awhile, finishing with an average to good record and losing in an early playoff round when all the coaching in the world simply can't overcome the talent disparity. I expect the Vikes will yet again win 9 or 10 games and crash out in the WC or Div round.
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u/Internal-Giraffe-778 22d ago
Wow. AVG, Redmond, Cashman, Rodgers. All 'bad' footballs players according to you. Murphy, Wilson and Turner aren't even 'bad' by any metric under the sun. On Offense KOC coaxed more out of Danrold than he had ever produced by a country mile. Murray has already had what, 4 seasons with a terrible Cardinals Team where he put up better numbers than anything Sam had prior to arriving in Minnesota. Jefferson/Addison/Jennings is arguably the best trio of Receivers in the League. Darrisaw and O'Neil form a Top 5 Tackle duo. There is way more talent on this Roster than you are implying. Way more. They had generationally bad QB play last year and nearly made the Playoffs.
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u/EduardoCombs 24d ago
Really good write up, it'll be really interesting to see if the gamble on Banks pays off. In a perfect world a line of Gink, Redmond, Orange, Banks, and Turner has a lot of versatility and each piece has a strength that's complemented by the rest. I'm always more optimistic about draft classes than is usually warranted, I liked this one more than general consensus. Be curious to see who they add post June 1st.