Vikings Landed 2 “Draft Steals”
The Minnesota Vikings drafted five rookies last week, bolstering their roster for the start of the J.J. McCarthy era in 2025.
Vikings Landed 2 “Draft Steals”
This week, ESPN got around to announcing its favorite draft picks and steals, a list of 100 names determined by draft analyst Matt Miller.
Miller used this criterion: “There were 257 names called in the 2025 NFL draft. Some front offices did better than others with their selections — I really like the Eagles’ class — but how did the individual picks stack up across all seven rounds? I ranked the best 100 selections. This list isn’t based purely on talent — that’s why we had predraft prospect rankings.”
“Here, we factored in value (where a player was drafted vs. where he was ranked predraft), scheme fit, how the selection addressed a need, what the prospect brings on the field and whether additional assets were gained or lost in draft-day trades to acquire him. Every round is represented, and there are even 38 picks from Day 3 among these 100 highlighted selections.”
And two Vikings rookies made the cut.
ESPN Named Donovan Jackson a “Draft Steal”
Foremost, the Vikings’ 1st-Rounder, offensive guard Donovan Jackson from Ohio State, earned a mention at No. 45.
Miller wrote, “This was a slight reach, but with Grey Zabel off the board, Minnesota grabbed the only remaining interior lineman with a starting rookie grade. Jackson’s experience at left guard, and the ability he showed at left tackle in a pinch last season, made him one of my favorite players to scout. He’s super steady and fills a giant need.”
Jackson joins the Vikings as an immediate starting left guard, completing an offensive line with Christian Darrisaw, Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill. The fivesome represents the Vikings’ most impressive offensive line in years, if not decades.
Linebacker Kobe King, Too
Miller made sure to name-drop Kobe King at No. 97, a 6th-Round discovery from Penn State. He noted on the linebacker: “King can develop under defensive coordinator Brian Flores in the middle of the Vikings’ defense. Plus, I had him 53 spots higher on my board.”
King pulled down Miller’s No. 148 spot on his pre-draft big board, and when general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah drafted King at No. 201, Miller approved.
NFL Draft Buzz profiled King before the draft: “King projects as a rock-solid Mike linebacker who’ll make his money as an early-down run defender in the NFL. His combination of processing speed and physical play style reminds me of a young Blake Martinez — maybe not the most explosive athlete, but a linebacker who consistently finds himself around the football.”
“His immediate impact will come in base packages where his run-stopping prowess and ability to command a defense will shine. While he may need to come off the field initially in obvious passing situations, his football intelligence and work ethic suggest he can develop into a three-down player with time.”
King could take fourth-year linebacker Brian Asamoah’s job as early as this summer.
NDB added, “Teams running predominantly 3-4 schemes will particularly value King’s ability to take on blocks and keep linebackers clean. His floor as a reliable early-down defender and special teams contributor makes him an attractive Day 3 selection with the potential to develop into a reliable NFL starter.”
The Other Draft Picks
Besides Jackson and King, the Vikings had three other picks last week: wide receiver Tai Felton from Maryland, defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins of Georgia, and tight end Gavin Bartholomew from Pittsburgh.
Felton will compete for a WR4 job at training camp and in the preseason. Ingram-Dawkins will remain in the chamber as a youthful defensive tackle in Brian Flores’ system behind Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. And Bartholomew is tentatively on track for a TE3 job in 2025 if he staves off undrafted free agent Ben Yurosek of Georgia.
A Full Draft Cabinet in 2026, Unlike 2025
Some fans lamented the Vikings’ lack of draft picks in 2025, after Adofo-Mensah sent most of his mid-rounders in 2024 for the pick that landed outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
Folks won’t have to worry about that in 2026, as Adofo-Mensah has most of his 2026 picks intact, sans a probable 4th-Rounder from the Cam Robinson trade last November. The Vikings are expected to grab two compensatory picks, too, from 2025 free agency.
Rookie minicamp kicks off in Eagan next week.
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