ESPN Tags Giants as Trade Option for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are prime candidates to trade their first draft pick in 3.5 weeks, possessing the 24th overall selection but perhaps hungry to add more throws at the dartboard.
ESPN Tags Giants as Trade Option for Vikings
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has just four picks scheduled from April 24th to 26th after trading most of the 2025 draft class to the Jacksonville Jaguars last year for the draft pick that landed outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
And according to ESPN, Minnesota could do business with the New York Giants on draft night.
Bill Barnwell’s Trade Theory for MIN, NYG
Foremost, Barnwell’s article featured a bit of a typo, handing the Giants the 24th pick plus two extra mid-rounders. But what Barnwell likely meant would be this arrangement:
Vikings Get —
Pick No. 34 (R2)
Pick No. 99 (R3)
Pick No. 105 (R4)
Giants Get —
Pick No. 24 (R1)
Barnwell explained, “With a league-low four picks in this draft, the Vikings need to do what they can to manufacture extra capital, especially given that they were the league’s oldest team on a snap-weighted basis last season. Supplementing the secondary should be their first priority, and I was tempted to build a deal with former first-round pick Deonte Banks involved.”
“Instead, this trade lands Minnesota two extra selections at the end of Day 2 and the beginning of Day 3.”
Most fans would welcome the trade, as Minnesota would earn two additional picks: one in Round 3 and one in Round 4.
Barnwell added, “In a scenario in which the Giants don’t draft a quarterback with the No. 3 overall pick, this would be their opportunity to jump ahead of the Rams at No. 26 and the Browns at No. 33 for their future signal-caller. They could take a chance on both of those teams passing on quarterbacks, but it’s also entirely possible the Saints or Jets trade into the bottom of Round 1 to beat the Giants to Jaxson Dart, who would sit behind Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in 2025.”
“For New York, it’s probably worth sacrificing two mid-round picks to ensure it doesn’t miss out on the quarterback it wants.”
The Options at Pick No. 34
Outfitted with the 34th overall pick, Minnesota would still have some sweet options in Round 2, along with two extra mid-rounders.
At No. 34, Adofo-Mensah could explore these draft options:
- Trey Amos (CB)
- Luther Burden III (WR)
- Maxwell Hairston (CB)
- Donovan Jackson (iOL)
- Benjamin Morrison (CB)
- Shavon Revel Jr. (CB)
- Azareye’h Thomas (CB)
- Grey Zabel (iOL)
That inventory, of course, is not foolproof, but it does represent the current Consensus Big Board with the Vikings’ long-term roster needs at No. 34.
Most mock drafts believe Minnesota will end up with a player like Jahdae Barron (CB, Texas), Malaki Starks (S, Georgia), or Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina) if it doesn’t trade back. Those men would likely be out of the equation if the Vikings pulled off the Giants trade proposed by Barnwell.
What to Do with Picks 99 and 105?
In Rounds 3 and 4, equipped with the two picks from the Giants, the pecking order is more of a guessing game.
But Minnesota could explore these players at Nos. 99 and 105:
- Denzel Burke (CB, Ohio State)
- D.J. Giddens (RB, Kansas State)
- Charles Grant (iOL, William & Mary)
- Dylan Sampson (RB, Tennessee)
- Jacob Parrish (CB, Kansas State)
- Luther Ransom (S, Ohio State)
- Xavier Restrepo (WR, Miami)
- Dorian Strong (CB, Virginia Tech)
- Shemar Turner (DT, Texas A&M)
- Kevin Winston Jr. (S, Penn State)
Option at No. 24 without a Trade:
If Adofo-Mensah sticks-and-picks at No. 24, finagling no trades, these players make the most sense at the moment:
- Jahdae Barron (CB)
- Tyler Booker (iOL)
- Nick Emmanwori (S)
- Kenneth Grant (DT)
- Derrick Harmon (DT)
- Walter Nolen (DT)
- Malaki Starks (S)
- Grey Zabel (iOL)
The Vikings, too, could swerve and pick a wide receiver, tight end, or even running back in Round 1 if they felt especially frisky on offense.
The 2025 NFL Draft will shake down in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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