Bleacher Report Names Curveball Draft Need for Vikings
So far during the build-up to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings have been identified as a team needing a defensive tackle, defensive back, center, and possibly a young running back. But according to Bleacher Report, Minnesota has an undercover draft need: inside linebacker.
Minnesota may need its next linebacker before the current group ages out.
Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson will patrol the middle of the field again in 2026. That may not be enough, says BR.
Flores’s Defense Could Use Another Young Enforcer
The Vikings have nine picks to add another ILB.
BR: Vikings’ Surprising Draft Need = LB
BR’s Alex Ballentine found a surprising draft need for each NFL team this week, with ILB getting the nod for Minnesota.
He explained, “The Vikings could completely ignore the off-ball linebacker position and be fine for the 2026 season. Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace Jr. are a good enough trio that Minnesota’s front office could use their draft resources elsewhere.”
“But they would also be ignoring the reality that Cashman and Pace are both free agents in 2027 and Wilson is 31. The good news is that Brian Flores does a good job of getting production out of linebackers who might not be prototypical size for the position.”
The Vikings drafted an off-ball linebacker last year named Kobe King, but cut him during the regular season.
Ballentine added, “All three of these targets could be had later in the draft, but would make sense in the Vikings defensive scheme. Texas Tech’s Jacob Rodriguez would be an especially fun fit given his knack for forcing turnovers in an already chaotic defensive system.”
The BR piece also name-dropped these specific LBs:
- Jacob Rodriguez, Texas Tech
- Taurean York, Texas A&M
- Harold Perkins Jr., LSU
The Current Group
Before free agency, inside linebacker, indeed, resembled an intense roster need, as Wilson and Pace Jr. were free agents. Now, both men are back, reducing the emergent need for off-ball linebackers in 2026. In fact, unless Minnesota stumbles into a sure-fire starter, a mid- or late-round linebacker will likely watch and learn in 2026, biding his time for 2027 and beyond.
That said, here’s the full ILB group as of April 7th:
- Blake Cashman
- Eric Wilson
- Ivan Pace Jr.
- Jacob Roberts
- Josh Ross
It’s worth noting that Roberts and Ross are generally considered “roster filler” for the summer and probably have a practice squad upside.
Who Are the Contenders?
If the Vikings act on Bleacher Report’s sneaky roster need, they will have options in two weeks. These are the options on the Consensus Big Board before the end of Round 4:
- C.J. Allen (Georgia)
- Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech)
- Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas)
- Jake Golday (Cincinnati)
- Josiah Trotter (Missouri)
- Kyle Louis (Pittsburgh)
- Jaishawn Barham (Michigan)
- Deontae Lawson (Alabama)
- Kaleb Elamrs-Orr (TCU)
- Harold Perkins (LSU)
Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles — both from Ohio State — are options, too, but those two will likely fly off the draftboard in the Top 5 or Top 8 picks, disqualifying them from the Vikings’ range.
The Vikings have four picks in the draft’s Top 100, making players like Hill Jr. and Golday quite gettable.
Minnesota could also explore later rounds for a linebacker. A to Z Sports‘ Tyler Forness mock-drafted Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson in Round 6 this week and explained, “Linebacker is a bigger need than most want to give it credit for being, and getting one should be an early priority. With how the board shakes out, that may not end up happening.”
“In that case, Lawson has really good movement skills in short spaces and a lot of experience as a fifth-year senior. There are size and overall athleticism limitations, but it’s a good bet, especially when it comes to special teams.”
Age a Factor
Because of age, Ballentine is onto something. Wilson will turn 32 this year, and Cashman will be 30 next month. Both have likely peaked as NFL performers, meaning they won’t necessarily improve this season or next.
Pace Jr. still has youth on his side, but after poor tackling — that led to a bench assignment — nobody is too sure whether he’ll regain proper form. Therefore, with two starting linebackers over the age of 30, a young option would not be the worst idea for Flores’s defense.
Finally, one of Flores’s foremost specialties as a coach is linebackers. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah no longer works for the Vikings, and most believe Flores has more say over roster control, including the draft. He should be able to scout the best rookie linebacker for his system without major intrusion.
The NFL draft is 16 days away.
You must be logged in to post a comment.