Bleacher Report Predicts Bizarre Draft Pick for Vikings
How about this? The Minnesota Vikings draft an offensive tackle in Round 1 on April 23rd — and immediately convert him to center. Are you in? That’s the latest and greatest theory from Bleacher Report, with the NFL Draft just three weeks away, selecting Utah OT Spencer Fano for the purple team.
The projection would send Minnesota into a rare offensive-line lane.
Virtually no one expects Minnesota to draft an offensive lineman in Round 1, but BR disagrees.
A 1st-Round Fano Pick Would Flip the Script for the Vikings
A non-Dillon Thieneman mock draft for thirsty Vikings fans.
BR: Spencer Fano to Vikings at No. 18 … as a Center
BR’s Fano idea will likely turn out as a bizarre outlier when it’s all said and done, but the idea is out there nevertheless.
BR’s Scouting Report explained the pick: “The Minnesota Vikings have an opportunity to land the class’s best offensive tackle prospect and then move him to center. While the approach may come across like a poor use of resources, the type of versatility that Utah’s Spencer Fano potentially brings will help the entire offense, while simultaneously upgrading a unit that will be vital as Minnesota attempts to find its long-term solution at quarterback.”
Brandon Thorn from the same site added, “Minnesota has a hole at center following Ryan Kelly’s retirement, while right tackle Brian O’Neill is set to hit free agency after the 2026 season. Fano’s profile is reminiscent of current Packers right tackle Zach Tom coming out of Wake Forest.”
“While rumors of Tom sliding inside to center never materialized, Fano’s would in this scenario. Minnesota is set at the other four spots for the upcoming season. Still, Fano’s athletic ability is an instant weapon within Kevin O’Connell’s designed run game and offers a potential long-term option at right tackle if O’Neill is not retained.”
A Record-Scratch Moment
Until the BR mock draft, virtually everyone from the last two to three weeks had the Vikings getting into bed with Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman, and few complained about it. Thieneman’s Combine performance was that snazzy, and with Harrison Smith’s career winding down, Minnesota needs a replacement. Some isolated mock drafts, here and there, also connect the Vikings to Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods and Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeill-Warren.
What none have is the Vikings drafting an offensive tackle and converting him to a center. That’s rather mind-boggling, in general, and for Minnesota this draft cycle, as most expect the club to draft defensively early in the event.
In fact, picking a premier tackle and then switching him to center almost feels like a troll job.
Fano Scouting Report
This is not to say that Fano is a bad prospect; he is not. He’s outstanding. It’s just that he should play tackle in the NFL — not a bizarre center experiment for a team need.
Fano is 6’6″ and 310 pounds with 4.9 speed. He played 37 games at Utah and will turn 22 in November.
Ironically, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Fano to Brian O’Neill and described his skill set: “Fano lacks ideal proportional build but compensates with loose hips, quick feet, and high-end athleticism. He has the tools to mirror speed rushers, wall off the top of the pocket and find a late anchor when taking the worst of a bull rush.”
“He needs to stay square longer to prevent inside moves and refine his punch approach/timing. His athletic profile is designed for move-based blocking schemes where he can pull, reach and climb while beating opponents to the spot with quickness/feel for hitting landmarks on time.”
O’Neill’s contract is scheduled to run out after the 2026 campaign, though most Vikings fans expect interim general manager Rob Brzezinski to lock in an extension sometime after the draft.
“He gives good effort as a downhill blocker but issues with pad level and core strength lead to him being overtaken as the rep progresses. Fano’s level of NFL success might be tied to scheme fit and individual matchups,” Zierlein concluded on Fano’s scouting report.
The More Likely Draft Outcomes
If you plan to wait around for Minnesota to draft Fano in Round 1, pull up a chair. Stay a while.
The Vikings’ most realistic draft paths are picking a defensive tackle, safety, or cornerback. Over the last seven years, 67% of the Vikings’ 1st-Round draft picks have been spent on offensive players. All signs point to defense in 2026.
Otherwise, in theory, Minnesota could splurge on the “best player available” at No. 18, regardless of position, possibly taking Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq or Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper.
Generally speaking, the Vikings’ first pick in the draft will probably be a man from this list:
- C.J. Allen, LB (Georgia)
- Denzel Boston, WR (Washington)
- Kevin Concepcion, WR (Texas A&M)
- Omar Cooper Jr., WR (Indiana)
- Colton Hood, CB (Tennessee)
- Kayden McDonald, DL (Ohio State)
- Jermod McCoy, CB (Tennessee)
- Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S (Toledo)
- Kenyon Sadiq, TE (Oregon)
- Avieon Terrell, CB (Clemson)
- Dillon Thieneman, S (Oregon)
- Peter Woods, DL (Clemson)
On Fano, the Kansas City Chiefs are a more realistic landing spot. Perhaps the Cleveland Browns or Philadelphia Eagles.
The NFL Draft is 22 days away.
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