The One Big Hope for the Vikings Draft

The Minnesota Vikings will step up the podium on draft night at pick No. 24 — if they don’t trade up or down — in 12 weeks.
The One Big Hope for the Vikings Draft
The franchise rather visibly has long-term roster needs at cornerback, interior defensive line, and interior offensive line.

But even with those needs present, one big hope remains for the purple team in the draft — the availability of game-changing tailback Ashton Jeanty of Boise State.
Heading into the 2025 offseason, Minnesota has these running backs under contract:
- Ty Chandler
- Zavier Scott
That’s it. RB1 Aaron Jones signed a one-year deal in 2024, and that will expire soon unless general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mesnah re-ups with the veteran runner. RB2 Cam Akers could be back in 2025, but he won’t be a standalone solution. So, no matter what, the Vikings need an RB1, whether it’s Jones for another year, a free agent like Javonte Williams or Najee Harris, a rookie from the upcoming draft class, or a mixture of methods.
On Jeanty, he’s considered one of the most talented players in the draft, but often, running backs don’t get the respect they deserve. In theory, Jeanty could slide down the draftboard in a shocking turn of events — not unlike the Atlanta Falcons choosing Michael Penix Jr. last year when it had previously handed Kirk Cousins a humongous contract six weeks prior.

Meanwhile, the Jeanty-to-Vikings theory is out there. It’s a longshot, but it’s not wholly impossible. Earlier this month, NBC Sports‘ Connor Rogers mock-drafted Jeanty to Minnesota with the 24th overall pick. A draft tumble, indeed.
He 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.”
Most draft personalities don’t expect Jeanty to be available past the Top 15 or so picks, so the Rogers mock draft is especially noteworthy. In theory, if Jeanty fell all the way to the Vikings, they’d be virtually guaranteed to pounce.

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 most seductive commodities accordingly.
In December, ESPN’s Mel Kiper also connected 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.”

This is the Vikings’ rushing efficiency per DVOA from the last three years, dating back to the start of the O’Connell era:
- 2022: 27th
- 2023: 27th
- 2024: 20th
Jeanty could fix this in a jiffy, probably while Vikings fans will hold out a glimmer of hope that he could slip down the board on April 24th.
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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