Henrique Gucciardi’s Final Vikings Mock Draft
Doing mock drafts is one of my favorite things; I’ve done countless ones this offseason. For some reason, I didn’t write one here — until now. Just a few hours before the Tennessee Titans officially are on the clock, let’s do a 2025 Minnesota Vikings mock draft.
Henrique Gucciardi’s Final Vikings Mock Draft
With only four picks, it’s hard to imagine Kwesi Adofo-Mensah not wanting to trade down from 24, unless an unexpected player falls into his lap. Also, a friend of mine jokes that I’m a “Rick Spielman puppet” because I love to do trade downs and get Day 3 picks.
1st Round, Pick 30:
Malaki Starks, DB, Georgia
Starks is a player I’d love for the Vikings to get at 24. Getting extra picks and landing him is just perfect for me. In this scenario, the Bills wanted to jump some teams that could use help on the edge, trading up to select Texas A&M’s Shemar Stewart.
To do that, they gave up picks 30, 62, and 109 for picks 24 and 97. Giving 97 was tough, but ultimately it was going back six spots in the first round, up 35 in Day 2, and also an early Day 3 pick, so I think it’s more than fair.
2nd Round, Pick 62:
C.J. West, DT, Indiana
This may seem a bit early for him, but I don’t care that much. West started playing defensive tackle as a junior in high school and quickly became a three-star recruit, playing 4 seasons at Kent State before joining Indiana for his super senior season. He’s an explosive athlete and shoots off his stance, showing violent hands to disengage from blocks. He’s still learning to put things together in pass rush, but his floor as a run defender is impressive.
4th Round, Pick 125:
Mello Dotson, CB, Kansas
After another trade, this time with the Chargers, I got picks 125, 158, and a 2026 sixth-round pick for 109, giving me extra darts to throw in Day 3. The first was used on Dotson, a long and experienced cornerback (46 games started in 5 seasons) best suited for a zone-heavy defense. Guess who runs a zone defense that could use a cornerback with 12 career interceptions and 4 pick-sixes? Exactly, Brian Flores.
He’d join Mekhi Blackmon, Dwight McGlothern, and Jeff Okudah in the fight for snaps, assuming that Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers are locks.
5th Round, Pick 139:
Brashard Smith, RB, SMU
Besides the potential to contribute on offense or defense, when you’re picking later in the Draft, it is important to consider the impact the players can have on special teams. A former wide receiver, Smith transitioned to running back in only his last season, and he responded with over 1600 total yards on offense.
With Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason set to be the running backs, Smith could come in on offense as a gadget player, being able to line up either as a running back or wide receiver. He could also be the kick returner, averaging 24.4 yards per return in college.
5th Round, Pick 158:
Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
Evans is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type of prospect. He can block, run routes, and catch, but isn’t particularly good at any. Evans would be a solid depth addition and played both inline and in the slot in Notre Dame’s offense. He also played in kickoff coverage as a senior, adding value to his stock as a Day 3 project.
With the departure of Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver on a contract year, Minnesota could use a solid depth piece at the position.
6th Round, Pick 187:
Tyler Cooper, iOL, Minnesota
Cooper defines a solid depth piece as a good late Day 3. You don’t want your sixth-rounders starting a lot (although it’d be great if they develop into starters), but it’s a good pick if they can solidify your depth. Cooper isn’t strong and would have a hard time if he had to play many games against NFL competition.
But, with his experience playing in both guard spots, he could be a swing backup, capable of filling a hole in a pinch if needed.
The Essential Vikings Draft Big Board
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