The Blueprint for a Successful Vikings Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and the Minnesota Vikings still have some areas on their roster that need improvement and depth. Although it’s been pretty universally accepted that the top end of this year’s class isn’t as strong as in years past, some really good players can still be found in the middle rounds.
The Blueprint for a Successful Vikings Draft
Throughout last year’s draft cycle, it was pretty widely known that the Vikings needed to find their franchise quarterback. They moved around twice on night one, landing two extremely young players in J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner. With the strong free agency class Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and company brought in this year, it’s not as cut and dry heading into the draft.
Here is what an ideal draft weekend could look like for Minnesota if they find a willing dance partner to trade out of pick number 24. ProFootballNetwork.com was the mock draft tool, and rankings were utilized for the sake of this exercise.
— Vikings trade pick 24 to the New York Giants in exchange for picks 34, 65, and 154 —
Walter Nolen
Pick 34 (via Giants)
Ole Miss Defensive Tackle
After trading down with the Giants, the Vikings add a versatile defensive lineman for DC Brian Flores to mix in with newly acquired Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Nolen would bring a violent playstyle to Minnesota, giving them a true pocket collapser from within the interior.
Letting Nolen learn from the newly acquired veterans, along with Harrison Phillips, would place him in an ideal landing spot should he slide to the Vikings after trading back. Flores could utilize his skill sets on pass-rushing situations early on, similar to how Turner saw playing time earlier in 2024.
Maxwell Hairston
Pick 65 (via Giants)
Kentucky Cornerback
Hairston is a player that has been mocked to the Vikings rather frequently, but it’s usually with a trade back in the first round or staying put at 24. If his injury history forces him to slide this late, it seems like a no-brainer for Minnesota.
Last season, the Vikings lacked two things in their secondary – youth and speed. Hairston turns 22 in August and ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine this year with a time of 4.28 seconds. Although the former Wildcat has some room for improvement in man coverage, he plays with solid natural coverage instincts and has good hip fluidity. It might be a long shot for Hairston to fall to this point in the draft, but it would be a slam dunk pick if he’s there.
Andrew Mukuba
Pick 97
Texas Safety
Vikings fans who hate the idea of drafting players in the secondary look away, as they go back to back here, adding Texas Safety Andrew Mukuba. Future Hall of Famer Harrison Smith is returning for what likely will be his final season, and his mentorship has already done wonders for players like Josh Metellus and Cam Bynum.
Mukuba is another versatile player that Flores could move all around the secondary. He is a more than willing participant in run support and has a natural nose for the football in coverage.
It does seem pretty clear that the Vikings like what Theo Jackson brings to the safety position, but taking the heir to Smith while forcing a competition for the third safety position seems like a win-win situation.
Luke Kandra
Pick 139
Cincinnati Guard
Similarly to the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings’ interior of their offensive line got much better from free agency additions. Adding two former Colts, Will Fries and Ryan Kelly, should help bolster the offensive line, but the team should still bring someone in for competition and depth.
To be clear, this position could be addressed earlier than the fifth round. Players like Grey Zabel, Tyler Booker, or Donovan Jackson are three players Vikings fans should get to know in case that’s the route they go earlier in the draft.
Kandra has played primarily right guard throughout his collegiate career, so asking him to come in and compete with Blake Brandel right away could be too high of an expectation. However, he’s an elite athlete for the position and could end up being a long-term starter if developed properly.
Brashard Smith
Pick 154 (via Giants)
SMU Running Back
The Vikings are currently set up to have a solid 1a 1b approach to the running back position with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason. Even though they already have two solid answers in the backfield, this 2025 class is way too deep to ignore.
Brashard Smith is a former wide receiver turned running back who’s coming off a fantastic 2024 campaign with 1,332 rushing yards, 327 receiving yards, and 18 total touchdowns.
Keeping Jones fresh in 2025 is clearly a big priority with the trade for Mason. Getting a running back who can be installed into Kevin O’Connell’s offense and truly make a difference in third-down packages should be a priority.
That is precisely what Smith would bring to the offense. A player with great vision out in space, good speed, and a receiver background are just a few traits that project him as good value on day three. He could also be utilized as the kick returner from day one.
Thomas Fidone II
Pick 187
Nebraska Tight End
Thomas Fidone II has battled injuries throughout his time at Nebraska but has shown some flashes when healthy. He’s an athletic specimen, standing at 6’5 and running a 4.7 40-yard dash.
Minnesota met extensively with Fidone at Nebraska’s Pro Day, per Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com. Although the Vikings have two solid tight ends in T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver, they are the only two players at the position currently on the roster.
Fidone II could come in and learn behind an already established top-five tight end in Hockenson. The athletic traits make him not only a possible red-zone target, but the speed could lead to him being a legit field stretcher at the next level as well.
Although the Vikings are going into the draft with only four picks, it’s still fair to label this a critical draft class. It seems the front office fully embraces building a stacked roster with a quarterback on a rookie deal.
Adding a few more picks and attacking the sweet spot of this year’s class (day two) seems to make a ton of sense if they’re given the opportunity to trade back. Finding quality depth and a few starters should be the expectation, setting up this roster for a prosperous future.
You must be logged in to post a comment.