One Mock Draft Does “The Thing” Again for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings probably won’t be able to draft Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty in 11 weeks.
Vikings Mock Draft: They Did It Again!
But that hasn’t stopped some draft brains from connecting the dynamic tailback to the purple team.
NBC Sports Boston was the latest to mock draft Jeanty to Minnesota, as Phil Perry, a New England Patriots insider, fired up the selection this week.
“One of the most talented players in the draft slides due to positional value here. But the Vikings have a good enough roster elsewhere that adding a tackle-breaking machine to their backfield is an easy choice — particularly for a team that may be looking to make things as easy as possible for an inexperienced quarterback in J.J. McCarthy,” Perry explained.
Most of the NFL community doesn’t believe Jeanty will fall past the Dallas Cowboys at pick No. 12, and truth be told, Jeanty may not make it out of the Top 10. The Chicago Bears pick 10th, and new coach Ben Johnson could feast on Jeanty’s availability at the spot. Stay tuned.
Last month, NBC Sports‘ Connor Rogers mocked Jeanty to the Vikings, too. Rogers finagled the draft pick to Minnesota and wrote: “Aaron Jones on a one-year deal at age 30 has been a home run for the Vikings, but adding Jeanty to this offense next year would be flat-out ridiculous. He has some of the best balance and vision I’ve evaluated at the position and would be a day one star in Minnesota.”
It might be an NBC Sports thing.
Jeanty is unbelievably dynamic and might even be a more electrifying prospect than Atlanta Falcons runner Bijan Robinson a couple of years ago. He banked 2,601 rushing yards and 29 touchdowns for the Broncos (the college version) this season and is one of the draft’s hottest commodities accordingly.
Too, Minnesota will have a need at running back. Ty Chandler is the only halfback scheduled to be attached to the 2025 roster, as Aaron Jones and Cam Akers are due to hit free agency in five weeks. Of course, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah can somewhat easily re-sign Jones and Akers, but initially, the RB cupboard is bare for 2025 roster-building.
In December, ESPN’s Mel Kiper also linked Jeanty to Minnesota, “The Browns might be a fit for Jeanty, too, even though they have bigger issues. Nick Chubb will be a free agent and has a broken foot. What about the Saints? They have Alvin Kamara under contract but need more playmakers in that offense. Maybe the Bears take a shot on Jeanty to help Caleb Williams. I also think the Vikings and Steelers could make the move if Jeanty slides a little bit. They both have pending free agents at RB1 right now in Aaron Jones and Najee Harris, respectively.”
Jeanty doesn’t really have any weaknesses besides possibly refining his route tree as a pass-catcher, but that would be extreme nitpicking.
If the Vikings can’t snag Jeanty but want a rookie runner from the draft nevertheless, these players could be on the menu:
- Omarion Hampton (North Carolina)
- TreVeyon Henderson (Ohio State)
- Kaleb Johnson (Iowa)
- Quinshon Judkins (Ohio State)
- Cam Skattebo (Arizona State)
- Devin Neal (Kansas)
- Ollie Gordon II (Oklahoma State)
- Dylan Sampson (Tennessee)
Jeanty is just 21 years old.
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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 Vikings 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.
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