Vikings Have 2 Draft Darlings Out of the Gate
The Minnesota Vikings’ playoff hopes are hanging on by a 1-in-1000 thread, prompting some fans to peruse the 2026 draftboard for entertainment. And because the 2026 draft cycle is already popping off, fans and the mock draft community have already identified two targets for the purple team: running back Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame) and safety Caleb Downs (Ohio State).
The Vikings already have two draft darlings emerging out of the gate, with a running back and a safety drawing early excitement from analysts.
A lot will change in the next four months, but get to know Love and Downs, as they will dominate the Vikings’ pre-draft build-up.
Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs Early Draft Darlings for Vikings
Fans will be happy with either.
Jeremiyah Love | RB, Notre Dame
It’s another day and another mock draft connecting Love to Minnesota.
This time, The Athletic‘s Nick Baumgardner did the honors. He linked Love to the Vikings at pick No. 10 and defended the selection: “Maybe if you overwhelm J.J. McCarthy with enough skill talent to feed an actual group of Vikings, Kevin O’Connell’s paint will finally be able to dry here.”
“As with Downs, Love is a top-five player in this class, but we’ll see where he winds up — running back is a tough position to predict in terms of draft value. Regardless, he’s the type of offensive asset who can change a team immediately.”
That now brings the total to 3-4 prominent mock drafts that have shipped Love to the Twin Cities, and the mock draft process is just getting off the ground. Love to the Vikings is a thing.
Our Kyle Joudry on Love: “In Mr. Love, the Vikings could be welcoming a talent capable of taking a huge burden off of McCarthy’s shoulders. The simple fact that he’s both an explosive runner and pass catcher makes him ultra appealing.”
“Just how high could the team soar if it had its own version of Bijan Robinson or Jahmyr Gibbs? The Fighting Irish were shoved out of the college playoffs, a misguided decision that has set football fans ablaze with concerns about greed impacting more clear-eyed judgment. Quibbles aside, the implication is that Love is now building solely for the draft.”
The Vikings haven’t drafted a Round 1 running back since Adrian Peterson in 2007.
“He was central to Notre Dame’s impressive squad. Love carried the ball 199 times in 2025, picking up 1,372 yards while bringing the ball across the goal line 18 times. Ultra impressive stuff; the 6.9 yards-per-carry average is game-breaking talent. Go ahead and add on that he has caught 27 passes for 280 receiving yards (10.4 yards-per-reception average) and 3 touchdowns,” Joudry added.
Caleb Downs | S, Ohio State
Downs, too, has been mocked to Minnesota in the preliminary sections of draft season.
Akin to Kyle Hamilton in the sense that he’s virtually guaranteed to have a long and prosperous NFL career, Downs could be available to Minnesota, depending on the Vikings’ finish to this season. If they win a few more games, the Buckeye may not fall far enough. But if the purple team sticks around the 11th pick, its current spot, Downs to the Twin Cities can remain a possibility until draft night.
Downs is already being stacked up against Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed — not exactly casual comps. At 6’0″ and 205 pounds, he brings the full toolbox: burst, power, and natural turnover creation. He’s widely viewed as the best safety in the class, with many scouts arguing he’s the top defensive back overall. Some even push it further and call him the best defender in the entire draft.
Bleacher Report‘s Daniel Harms noted he’s a defender who “understands how best to use his abilities with body positioning and physicality” and that he “sees route concepts unfold and matches them with the quarterback’s eyes to break on routes.”
He’s 21 and just finished a season that earned him Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year — exactly the profile of a plug-and-play NFL impact guy.
Other Positions of Need and Names?
If not Love or Downs, Minnesota will have extra roster needs.
Cornerback may be the foremost need. These players could move the needle:
- Mansoor Delane (LSU)
- Jermod McCoy (Tennessee)
- Avieon Terrell (Clemson)
Don’t forget about off-ball linebacker, as Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson aren’t all that young:
- Arvell Reese (Ohio State)
- Sonny Styles (Ohio State)
- C.J. Allen (Georgia)
And if the Vikings want to get extra frisky, tight end Kenyon Sadiq from Oregon could make sense if the draft pick falls near No. 15 or lower.
Don’t Forget the 2nd-Rounder — Finally
One more item worth mentioning: so long as Adofo-Mensah doesn’t get trade-happy between January and late April, Minnesota will have a 2nd-Round pick for the first time in four years. Every year since 2022, Adofo-Mensah has found a way to offload his 2nd-Rounder. This year may be different.
Some are so conditioned to think that Minnesota isn’t allowed to have 2nd-Round draft capital. For now, that pick is intact, and Adofo-Mensah could use it on a safety, running back, cornerback, tight end, or linebacker. Friday evening draft night will be more fun than usual.
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