Todd McShay Posts Juicy Mock Draft for Vikings
Soon — in about 30 hours — mock draft season will be over, and thousands of failed prophecies will fall on the ash heap of the internet’s misses.
Todd McShay Posts Juicy Mock Draft for Vikings
Some will get it right, however, and famous draft analyst Todd McShay has a track record for such accuracy. Now independent, gone from ESPN, McShay posted his final mock draft of 2025 this week.
And he connected Texas cornerback Jahdae Barron to the Minnesota Vikings.
McShay Says Texas CB Jahdae Barron for Vikings
McShay dropped his final mock, and for Barron to the Vikings, he explained, “The Vikings have four picks, tied for the fewest of any team, so they will field calls to move back and accumulate more draft capital. But if a player of Barron’s caliber falls, it would be difficult to part with this selection. Barron is a STEAL here — I think he could come off the board as early as no. 7 to the Jets.”
“He has elite instincts and is always around the football. He’s one of the best 15 all-around players in this class.”
McShay’s mock notably featured a few surprises, like Michigan cornerback Will Johnson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and tight end Colston Loveland to the Denver Broncos.
Jahdae Barron Scouting Report
Barron is 5’11,” 200 pounds, and 23 years old. He’s known for instincts and versatility and doesn’t have too many pre-draft weaknesses entering the pros.
The Draft Network‘s Daniel Harms on Barron: “With his versatility, Barron can play safety, nickel, and linebacker, and he has the mental capacity to know his responsibilities in any situation. Unafraid to trigger downhill against the run or boundary screens, Barron’s click-and-close is incredibly sudden. He can get underneath blocks with accessible hip sink and ankle flexion to get after ball carriers; he is also willing to fight through blocks.”
“He has an excellent feel for zone coverage and watching what the quarterback is doing to make plays on the football. In everything Barron does, he gives it top effort and offers special teams flexibility.”
Minnesota employs plenty of young cornerbacks, but if Barron were on the board at No. 24 — many expect him to be a Top 15 or Top 20 pick — the Vikings may not say no.
Harms added: “As the ultimate chess piece, Barron covers receivers, tight ends, and running backs, whatever the situation calls for. He does his best work off coverage, getting eyes on route concepts and the quarterback, putting his football IQ to work. Physical press-man defense won’t be his calling card, but he has the hip fluidity and short-area burst to play in a soft press and react to the receiver’s movements.”
“Barron impacts the defense every time he’s on the field through his effort, play style, and leadership. This is a guy a defense wants on the field at all times, and I think he projects best as a starting outside Cover 2/4 corner on early downs who can kick inside to nickel when the defense flexes out of base. His ability to find the football is unmatched in this class.”
Few Vikings fans would complain about Barron as the pick at No. 24. He’s that damn good.
Making the CB Room Young and Deep
Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ cornerback room does not lack bodies. He’s got those. The group could, though, use a mainstay at the top of the ticket next to Byron Murphy Jr.
If selected by Minnesota, the 2025 cornerback room could look like this:
- Byron Murphy Jr.
- Jahdae Barron
- Isaiah Rodgers
- Mekhi Blackmon
- Jeff Okudah
It’s worth noting that any high-round cornerback selection would likely shove last year’s UDFA prize, Dwight McGlothern, onto the practice squad.
Other Mock Draft Evidence
Others have mock drafted Barron to Minnesota as well. Walter Football‘s Charlie Campbell has an impressive track record predicting the Vikings’ picks, and he connected the Texas corner to Minnesota in his final mock this week.
He noted, “The Vikings could use more young talent at cornerback. Barron is an instinctive corner who is a willing tackler and showed improved ball skills as a senior. In 2024, Barron had 67 tackles with five interceptions and 11 passes broken up. He had 59 tackles with an interception and five breakups the previous season. Barron (5-11, 200) could fit as a slot or outside corner in the NFL.”
Other Popular Rookie Candidates for MIN
If Barron is not the pick — again, he could be long gone by the time general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah sends his pick to the podium — these are the likeliest players to turn purple on Thursday night:
- Nick Emmanwori (S, South Carolina)
- Kenneth Grant (DT, Michigan)
- Derrick Harmon (DT, Oregon)
- Donovan Jackson (G, Ohio State)
- Malaki Starks (S, Georgia)
- Grey Zabel (G, North Dakota State)
Barron can play the outside cornerback role, in the slot, and even safety.
A 3rd Vikings QB Is on the Way
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