Vikings Linked to Fancy New WR in Mock Draft
The Minnesota Vikings don’t have wide receiver as an extreme offseason need in 2026, but that didn’t stop Pro Football Network‘s Alec Elijah from mock-drafting Texas A&M playmaker KC Concepcion to the purple team this week.
Minnesota might need another real weapon, and Concepcion’s quickness and YAC profile check the right boxes.
Most mock drafts, with the event three months away, suggest Minnesota will choose a defensive player, yet Elijah switched it up in his edition.
Concepcion Would Add Speed and Separation to Minnesota’s Offense
Vikings fans usually have very few qualms with drafting wideouts.
PFN Says Concepcion to MIN at No. 18
Concepcion is a YAC (yards after catch) merchant.
Elijah connected him to Minnesota in Round 1 and noted, “A glance at the Minnesota Vikings’ depth chart reveals a clear need for playmaking help at wide receiver, especially with Jordan Addison’s name surfacing in trade speculation.”
“Minnesota may look to address that void through the draft, and Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion offers the kind of dynamic skill set that could immediately energize the offense. At 5-foot-11, Concepcion brings versatility that few receivers in this class can match.”
The Vikings may lose Jalen Nailor to free agency, and Concepcion would be an instant and emphatic replacement.
“He began his collegiate career at NC State, lining up at both running back and wide receiver, before transferring to Texas A&M. He’s a true yards-after-catch weapon with elite change-of-direction ability, routinely making the first defender miss and turning short completions into chunk gains,” Elijah continued.
“His ‘human joystick’ movement skills, combined with calculated quickness off the line, allow him to beat press coverage and create explosive plays in multiple ways.”
As of January 27th, Concepcion lives at No. 27 on the Consensus Big Board.
The Skinny on Concepcion
Concepcion is 5’11” and 190 pounds, with 4.46 speed (at least until he marks a different number at the NFL Combine). He’s known for route-running, hands, yards after catch, and decent speed.
NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah recently called him the 30th-best prospect in this year’s draft, noting, “Concepcion is an undersized receiver with elite burst and inconsistent hands. His speed jumps off the screen. You can see it right off the snap: He uses a quick jab step and then explodes down the field.”
“He creates massive separation against quality competition. He hauls in a lot of quick-hitters (bubbles, slants and shallow crossers). His hands have been the biggest issue; he has too many concentration drops. When he does finish the catch, he is dynamic with the ball in his hands. His transition from catch to run is immediate and explosive. Overall, Concepcion is an intriguing player who needs to decrease his drop rate.”
NFL Draft Buzz on Concepcion: “Concepcion’s bread and butter comes when he’s working the intermediate parts of the field. Watch him on dig routes and deep overs and you see a completely different player than the guy running bubble screens. He’s at his best when he can build up speed and use his crafty footwork to gain separation, rather than relying on pure burst off the line. This isn’t a guy who’ll consistently win with raw athleticism in the NFL — he wins with savvy and route detail.”
“His role at the next level lands somewhere between a complementary piece and offensive chess piece. You can’t stick him in there as an every-down option early on – he’ll get bodied in blocking situations on the boundary. But give him opportunities to find soft spots against zone? That’s where his film really pops. He’s got natural feel for space that some receivers never develop.”
The New-Look WR Corps
If one assumes the Vikings get into bed with Concepcion, the 2026 WR corps would look like this if Nailor doesn’t re-sign:
- Justin Jefferson
- Jordan Addison
- KC Concepcion
- Tai Felton
- Myles Price
- Jeshaun Jones
- Dontae Fleming
- Joaquin Davis
Most fans would sign off on that wide receiving corps, especially with a big three of Jefferson, Addison, and Concepcion.
Other Possible Draft Candidates for Vikings
Now, let’s pretend the Vikings don’t draft a wide receiver, as that actually feels like a long shot in late January. The team has roster needs at cornerback, safety, center, inside linebacker, and perhaps running back.
At pick No. 18, Minnesota might reasonably expect to choose one of these players instead of the Texas A&M product:
- Brandon Cisse (CB, South Carolina)
- Mansoor Delane (CB, LSU)
- Colton Hood (CB, Tennessee)
- Jermod McCoy (CB, Tennessee)
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (S, Toledo)
- Kenyon Sadiqu (TE, Oregon)
- Sonny Styles (LB, Ohio State)
- Avieon Terrell (CB, Clemson)
- Peter Woods (DT, Clemson)
The NFL draft is 86 days away.
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