The Minnesota Vikings have a few offseason roster needs with free agency six days away: cornerback, interior defensive line, running back, and perhaps safety.
South Dakota Boy? Latest Mock Draft Says “Yep” for Vikings.
And that’s in addition to the interior offensive line, which was exposed in Minnesota’s final two games last season, getting dominated by the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams to close out 2024.
So, to fix that problem, Pro Football Focus suggested a local connection for the Vikings in Round 1 of April’s draft — North Dakota State’s Grey Zabel.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema posted the first mock draft after last week’s NFL Combine and explained, “The Vikings don’t have many picks in the 2025 NFL Draft — four at the moment, to be exact. So, they would have to really love a prospect here to not trade back.”
“Zabel could be one of those guys. He tested like a good athlete at the combine, especially for a player transitioning to guard or center, and has the movement skills, core strength and footwork for the Vikings’ zone blocking scheme.”
Zabel was born in Pierre, South Dakota, and played football at T. F. Riggs High School.
Minnesota has those four draft picks entering April’s event — a 1st-Rounder (Pick No. 24), a compensatory 3rd-Round selection, and two 5th-Rounders. Zabel will fly off the board sometime late in Round 1 or the top part of Round 2, and he’s a genuine target for the Vikings if they don’t solve the iOL questions in free agency next week. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah spent a sizable portion of 2025 draft capital last year on the trade that acquired outside linebacker Dallas Turner.
Zabel, listed as an offensive guard heading into the draft, would satisfy Minnesota’s long-term interior offensive line need. The Vikings were battered in the postseason seven weeks ago, surrendering 9 sacks to the Los Angeles Rams in a loss, a dubious playoff record — and not the good kind.
For now, Adofo-Mensah has guards Ed Ingram and Blake Brandel under contract for 2025, along with long-time center Garrett Bradbury. But most fans expect iOL change, especially after Kevin O’Connell’s comments about the Wildcard loss to the Rams. O’Connell was sure to call out the trenches.
“There’s no question that we got to be able to find a way to give a quarterback time. Especially with players like Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, we got to find a way to solidify the interior of the pocket, starting first and foremost,” O’Connell told reporters in January.
“There can be a thousand excuses made. But, for me, it’s the foundation of the interior of the pocket that we’re going to have to take a long look at.”
Zabel is listed as the 33rd-best player on the current Consensus Big Board, so choosing him might be a small reach, at least per the court of public opinion in early March. He is 6’6 and 305 pounds and could, in theory, also play center.
The Draft Network describes Zabel’s profile: “Zabel projects as an early-to-mid-round center with the tools to contribute early and develop into a full-time starter. His combination of unteachable traits and intangibles, paired with clear areas for growth, make him an exciting prospect with a high ceiling.”
ESPN’s Mel Kiper also mock-drafted Zabel to the Vikings last week.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.