Vikings Have “Perfect Scenario” for Draft
The 2025 NFL Draft is the next step in the Minnesota Vikings’ offseason, on deck in 2.5 weeks across state borders in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Vikings Have “Perfect Scenario” for Draft
Many expect the Vikings to trade out of their No. 24 pick, attempting to add more selections by trading down because the club has just four picks on the agenda as of early April. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah unloaded most of his mid-round capital in the last draft when he traded for Dallas Turner.
And according to Pro Football Focus, the Vikings have a “perfect draft scenario,” welcoming Michigan defensive tackle Kenneth Grant in Round 1 and Penn State State Kevin Winston Jr. the following day in Round 3.
PFF Says DT Kenneth Grant at No. 24
PFF outlined “perfect draft scenarios” for each NFL franchise with reduced draft capital, and Grant kicked off the festivities for Minnesota.
“The Vikings shored up their need for 5-techniques enough by signing both Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen in free agency. However, they could still improve at nose tackle since Harrison Phillips is coming off back-to-back sub-60.0 season-long PFF grades. Grant is the best nose tackle in the class and has rare quickness for a 340-pounder,” PFF’s Max Chadwick wrote.
“He was one of eight FBS interior defenders since 2023 with 80.0-plus PFF grades as both a pass rusher and a run defender.”
Grant is 6’4″ and 340 pounds. He’d immediately become the top nose tackle option on Minnesota’s depth chart, which is noteworthy because the Vikings have tended to ignore a true nose tackle for quite some time. In fact, since head coach Kevin O’Connell took over in 2022, the team has employed Harrison Phillips at nose tackle, but most agree that Phillips isn’t a prototypical big-bodied NT.
The rookie Wolverine would fix that. He specializes in stopping in the run, and while his pass rush isn’t underwhelming, that trait will need to be refined in the pros.
Safety Kevin Winston in Round 3
But wait, there’s more, says PFF.
Chadwick mock-drafted Winston, a safety, to Minnesota and explained: “Minnesota could further improve its defense by nabbing Winston, one of the best safeties in the class. A partially torn ACL limited him to just two games this past season, but he displayed first-round production and athleticism as a sophomore in 2023.”
“Winston was the only safety that year who earned 85.0-plus PFF grades both in coverage and run defense. He also scored above the 99th percentile in PFF’s Game Athleticism Score metric.”
If the 2025 season started today, Brian Flores’ defense would showcase Harrison Smith, Josh Metellus, and Theo Jackson as starting safeties. Camryn Bynum skipped town via free agency to the Indianapolis Colts last month.
“With Harrison Smith recently turning 36 years old and Josh Metellus being more of a solid starter than a true star, Winston could be one of the biggest steals of the draft while filling a massive need for the Vikings,” Chadwick concluded.
Some mock drafters have even connected Minnesota to Round 1 safeties recently: Nick Emmanwori (South Carolina) and Malaki Starks (Georgia).
Vikings Would Still Need iOL Help
Adofo-Mensah used free agency to bolster the offensive line’s interior in March, adding guard Will Fries and center Ryan Kelly from the aforementioned Colts. Onlookers applauded both moves.
But Blake Brandel is penciled in to start at left guard again next season, and some have theorized that the Vikings could exit the draft with a prospect like Grey Zabel (North Dakota State), Tyler Booker (Alabama), Donovan Jackson (Ohio State), Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona), or Tate Ratledge (Georgia). PFF’s mock would all but rule out those possibilities.
Minnesota would roll with Brandel or explore post-draft free agency for a free-agent guard like Will Hernandez, Shaq Mason, or Brandon Scherff.
No Cornerbacks?
Chadwick’s “perfect scenario” also doesn’t involve any cornerbacks, considered by some to be Minnesota’s most urgent roster need.
For now, Flores’ defense employs Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, Mekhi Blackmon, Jeff Okudah, and Dwight McGlothern. Fans would if that’s enough.
Suppose PFF’s perfect scenario is accurate or somewhat close. Minnesota would add no rookie corners, instead left to pursue free agency for a veteran like Asante Samuel Jr. or Jaire Alexander (if the Green Bay Packers cut him loose).
Most Expect a Trade Down Draftboard
Finally, many Vikings enthusiasts have accepted or endorsed a trade back on April 24th. That popular theory would wipe out Chadwick’s perfect scenario, mainly because Grant isn’t expected to fall near the bottom of Round 1 or into Round 2.
So, this can be evidence of a sticking-and-picking for Minnesota, which almost seems like a long shot with the draft less than three weeks out.
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